Downward Spiral
by content1
Summary: Post-BD EU. Captured by the Volturi, Edward faces a nightmarish choice as Aro enacts a diabolical plan to break him. As Edward's hold on his sanity weakens, only his memories of Bella help him stay strong as he faces the ultimate test. What will his family find upon his rescue? The man or the monster. Mentalward Winner
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This story began as a scenario mentioned in Gleena's excellent story The Cold War. It was a brief snippet of a particularly dark future for Edward, as seen through Alice's visions. In late fall of 2009, I was working on Harvest Moon with my esteemed former Beta, Crmcneill, and I challenged him to write a one-shot entry for the Mentalward contest. After obtaining Gleena's permission to use the scenario, he wrote what eventually became Chapters 1 and 2 of Downward Spiral, which ended up being the co-winner of the Presenter's Choice award for the contest.**

**After a flood of requests for him to continue the story, he obliged and produced several more chapters. However, life experiences both good and bad caught up to him and left him with no choice but to put the story on hold. Finally, recognizing that he would not be able to complete the story in the forseeable future, he asked me to take over the reins. I will be doing the writing, but he will still have some advisory input, so I'm hoping my story will do justice to the original concept.**

**P.S. If you haven't read Gleena's work - YOU NEED TO. And if you like it as much as Crmcneill and I do, drop her a PM to encourage her, as it has been a while since she has updated The Cold War's sequel Acts of Aggression, as well as her Twilight AU story Soldier X.**

**Warning: This story contains graphic references to rape.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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><p>I could hear them bringing the next one to my cell.<p>

The two guards were bored; they had been performing the same duty once a week for the last four months. In the beginning, they had taunted me, mocked me with crude, uncouth remarks as they shoved the latest victim into my cell. Now that they knew I wouldn't react, the insults had tapered off. They treated this task like another routine, boring chore, albeit one with a few fringe benefits. Their names were Simon and Nathaniel, and they knew nothing of importance. Aro had made sure of that.

The woman between them was terrified, naked and ashamed. The two leering Guards were dragging her down the hallway towards my cell, with its thick metal doors and reinforced walls. I could hear from her thoughts that she had been part of a tour group brought to Volterra, and she was wondering how her dream vacation to Italy had spiraled into this nightmare. Her name was Elizabeth (just Beth, please) Simmons, and she was wondering if she would ever see her family or her fiancée again.

The answer to that question had been decided long before she had ever asked it. One way or another; none of the women sent into my cell lived. The first time I had refused one of Aro's "offerings", the unfortunate woman had fallen into the hands of my jailers. They had purposely taken her just as far as the next room, so that the agonized screams and terrified thoughts had been impossible to block out. Her death had not come easily or quickly.

I had given up trying to escape. The thick walls of the cell couldn't restrain me for long, but they impeded me more than long enough for Jane to come running and pin me in place with her excruciating gift. The last time I had tried, she left me writhing on the floor for a full hour before releasing me.

"They're bringing the next one, love."

"I know, Edward, I know." A cool hand caressed my cheek, and I opened my eyes to look into my lovely wife's face. Dressed simply, in jeans, t-shirt and tennis shoes, she was as lovely as the last time I had seen her, four months previous.

I knew she was a hallucination. Intellectually, I understood that the horrors I had endured over the preceding months had driven me to seek solace in my memories, but that didn't make her seem any less real. Her first appearance had terrified me with the prospect of losing my sanity. Now I was just glad for the company. She would only appear when I had the room to myself. She would comfort me, holding me as I sobbed into her shoulder. Knowing that she wasn't there didn't make her feel any less real, or lessen the comfort I took in her presence.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this, Bella," I whispered, ashamed to admit my weakness, even to an illusion of the woman who had always accepted even my worst failings. "I just… I can't…"

"I know, love," Bella's musical voice was like a soft caress. "You have to stay strong for me. You're my heart and my soul, and I can't live without you. I'm out there somewhere, waiting for you. You have to hang on, for me, for your family. Do whatever you must to survive for us."

I took a deep, unnecessary breath to steady myself. "I'll do my best. I love you, Bella. I wish you didn't have to leave."

_Talking to himself now?_ One of the approaching guards thought. _Can't imagine what Master Aro would want with a vampire who's lost his mind._

"I'll never leave you, Edward," she said as she faded from view. Her voice, faint as a whisper, floated to me as if from a great distance.

Yes, she would never leave. My perfect memories of her were the only peace I had in this nightmare that surpassed anything in my experience. I knew the horror that awaited me; I had lived through the exact same nightmare sixteen times so far. The only unknown factor was the ending, and that choice was not in my hands.

The thick, heavy door creaked on its hinges and began to open. Over a foot thick, and made of reinforced metal alloy, the door was far too heavy to be opened or shut by anyone other than a vampire. They didn't even bother with a lock, only a heavy crossbar to seal the door from the outside.

The doors and the walls both could be breached with the proper application of strength, but it would take time. The real security was found in the form of vampires who would come running at the first sign of an escape attempt. The Volturi had had millennia to refine their techniques for restraining their own kind.

As the door opened further, I caught the scent of my newest 'guest'. I hadn't fed since a week before I had been captured, four months prior, so the scent of her blood sparked the horrible burning in the back of my throat. My eyes had been onyx black with thirst for months now, but I had been resisting that siren call for decades, and had no intention of giving into it without a fight. And so long as I had Bella, I had plenty of fight left in me.

But still, the monster in me beckoned seductively. For all intents and purposes, this woman was already dead, just like all the others before her, and she smelled so deliciously mouthwatering. His cunning, deceitful voice echoed in my mind, wondering at the foolishness of denying myself blood that would just go to waste otherwise. His voice had been getting stronger, but still, I resisted.

When a human is afraid, there are obvious biological changes apparent to someone sensitive enough to detect them. The sweet scent of her blood was tainted with the acrid hint of adrenaline. Her breathing was rapid and panicky, and her heart beat a rapid tempo of fight or flight as she was shoved into the room.

"Here's your new toy, human-lover," Simon sneered at me. "Make sure to save some for us this time."

And the door closed, sealing her in here with me.

The room was dimly lit, but that didn't matter to a vampire. Through her eyes, however, I appeared only as a dim shape against the far wall. Her thoughts were mostly wordless; a few phrases mixed in with images and impressions, but my presence in an otherwise bare room had caught her attention.

I sat with my back to her, facing the wall, offering the only courtesy I had left: a semblance of privacy and modesty. I had been stripped of all my clothing before being put into this room. Aro's voice had been filled with false courtesy as he explained that clothes would only get in the way of my assigned duties. Before this, I had only ever been naked in the presence of my wife; just one of many things that Aro had stolen from me.

_What is that?_ As she tentatively moved closer, the image in her mind grew more defined. _Is that a… a man?_

"Please, don't come any closer," I said, without turning my gaze from the wall.

With a wordless shriek of surprise, she scuttled away from me until she was pressed against the far wall of the room in a fetal position, her mind flashing images of vivid, recent horrors. _His voice! He's one of _them_!_ _I'm stuck in here with_… Rational thought gave way to hysteria, and she started screaming.

"It's alright. I promise I won't hurt you," I said, trying to speak comfortingly.

But I knew what was coming; what the future held for both of us, and my attempt at comfort came out flat, dead and lifeless.

She kept screaming, pausing only to gulp in panicked lungfuls of air to fuel the next wail of terror. I leaned forward and put my forehead against the wall, picturing my beautiful wife and daughter playing in the meadow in Forks. I hummed Bella's lullaby to myself as the terrified young woman's screams rang around me.

Some time later, she subsided. Now, she emitted only the occasional whimper of fear. I could hear her thoughts, but couldn't see through her eyes; they were squeezed shut.

_I'm so scared. I'm so scared. Oh God, I'm scared. Please don't let him come near me. What are they? They drank the other's blood. Is it possible? They can't be vampires! Why are they doing this? I know he promised he wouldn't hurt me. Please, let it be true. If he's lying, and we're both in here naked… Oh God, please, no. Not that._

I couldn't take it any more.

"I assure you, the last thing I want to do is harm you. You are in control in this room. I will not move or even look away from the wall without your permission. I know you have no reason to trust me, but in this place, my word is all I have left. I give it to you now."

She opened her eyes as I spoke, peering into the gloom to find me still facing the wall. _Can't trust him; you saw what they did to the others. Maybe he just likes to play with his food before he eats it._

"Or maybe I don't eat the same food as the others."

She cocked her head at me. _Did he just…?_ _No, that's not possible. There's no way he can read my mind_.

"It's very possible, actually. If I could shut it off, I would, so all I can do is apologize for not being able to help hearing what you're thinking." I had been through this discussion before; the strangeness of telling a human, even a condemned one, about vampires in general and myself in particular had long since worn off.

_What…? This has to be a nightmare. Something I ate, or jet lag._

"I wish it were that simple. You really are in a nightmare, but that doesn't make it any less real."

She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts and her courage. After a few moments, she spoke aloud to me for the first time, her voice quavering in fear. "What are you?"

"You guessed right before. We're vampires."

"That's crazy. Vampires don't really exist."

"Deny it all you want. It won't change anything. I know you saw the feeding room upstairs."

I had seen it in her memory, from the back of the line of tourists, ignorant as cattle being herded into the slaughterhouse. Shut into the feeding chamber by heavy doors, then Aro's mockery of a greeting before the true horror began; flashes of white skin and snarling teeth latching onto the necks and limbs of the people around her; cowering and waiting for a death that never came; then jerked bodily to her feet by an ice-cold hand coated with chalky, papery skin. Then a smiling monster that looked her up and down before ordering, "I believe this one will be perfect for our guest. Take her down to his cell, and make sure she's dressed properly." Harsh laughter as she was dragged away. Relief at being alive now replaced with the fear that the ones who died quickly up above were the lucky ones.

She was silent while her mind worked furiously to adjust to this strange new reality.

"Okay," she said, still not accepting, "if you're a vampire, why haven't you killed me and drank my blood yet?"

"Would it surprise you to learn that there are just as many shades of good and evil among our kind as there are among humans? Vampires who deny their true nature and eschew human blood in favor of other alternatives? I understand that it's a lot to take in, and I do apologize."

"Why are you telling me all this, then?"

"Because we don't have time for you to ease your way into this," I sighed. "You're trapped in a nightmare beyond anything you could imagine, and you need to accept your new reality and prepare yourself for what lies ahead."

_What!_

"But first, I apologize for my lack of manners. My name is Edward Cullen. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"

Her tense thought patterns shifted as she gave sarcastic voice to her suspicion. "What's the point, mind reader? Shouldn't you already know it?"

In any other situation, I might've responded to her retort with a smile, but there was no place in this room for humor.

"I _do_ already know it, but I was raised to comport myself as a gentleman, and certain forms must be followed. Courtesy is all I have to offer you."

There was a long pause while she considered. _He doesn't have to be so polite. He doesn't seem like the others. _She winced as she recalled the sight of teeth ripping out someone's neck.

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Simmons, but everyone calls me Beth."

"A pleasure, Beth. I wish we could've met under better circumstances."

I sighed and hesitated before continuing. "Let me give you a little background to help you understand."

I had delivered this exact speech fifteen times already, and knew it by rote. The first time; the first woman, I had had no idea what awaited her, and only gave her basic information. Now that I knew what was in store, there was nothing to hide.

I told her some of my history, meeting and falling in love with Bella, and our accidental discovery of vampire hybrids. I told her how the Volturi had decided that they wanted hybrids of their own, to use for a variety of nefarious purposes. All of which brought us to this room.

"From what I've been able to tell from their thoughts, they were very unsuccessful on their own, as their male vampire candidates lacked the control necessary to be intimate with their selected 'partner' without killing them. So, that's when they thought of me.

_Why is he so different?_

"They wanted me for a lot of different reasons, but the one that matters most here is the degree of control I showed; being intimate with my wife while she was still human. I'm part of a small segment of our society that eschews human blood in favor of animal blood in an attempt to regain as much of our humanity as possible.

"They knew I would never consent to this willingly, so they laid a very cunning trap for me. I can't tell you how difficult it is to surprise a telepath, but they managed. Once they had me here, they offered me a choice. They would send human women into my room, and I can either," I practically choked on the next word, "impregnate them, in which case I will be given animal blood to drink, or I can violate my principles and drink their blood."

_But… for me, that means sex or death. Have a baby or die? I don't want to die._

"You're the seventeenth woman to be placed in this cell with me. Only two of the others left alive, and… they didn't last long."

"What... what do you mean?" Beth asked me in a voice that shivered with shock.

"Let me explain the choices available to you," I said, evading her question. "I will not break my vow to my wife, so I will not have sex with you, even if you were willing. Even if I were somehow coerced into breaking that promise, and you were to become pregnant, you would still face a horrible, protracted death.

I told her of my first-hand experience with the highly traumatic gestation and birth of my hybrid daughter, including clinically graphic details of the damage inflicted by my child against her mother.

"So, with that option off the table, you are faced with two other choices. First, if you choose not to believe me, just wait. I stand by my promise that I won't touch you or harm you in any way. This time tomorrow, the guards who brought you here will return for you. They will drag you out of this room and take you to the next one down the hall, and they will rape you to death."

I tried to ignore her gasp of horror as I continued. Her thoughts were filled with a strongly worded symphony of denial as I continued on.

"I know this because that's exactly what happened to the two women who have left this room alive. Perhaps you remember Simon asking me to save a little for him this time? The first time it happened was because I had no idea what to expect. The second time, well, she couldn't get over her suspicion of me. She refused to believe anything I said until it was too late.

"The guards took hours on them both. I could hear their thoughts and their screams. I couldn't shut it out." I trailed off as the horrors I had experienced came rushing back from the distant place I had shut them away. I steeled myself against the pleading screams and graphically lewd images as I continued.

"Ultimately, both women died from internal bleeding caused by compound fractures of the pelvis. In essence, their pelvises were crushed and the bone shards severed several of their major blood vessels. They were still being violated when they died." I leaned my head against the wall again, unable to go on.

She took her time to compose herself before she asked, "What's the other choice?"

I took a deep breath. Then another. This was the most difficult part for me.

"I've already told you that I have no wish to harm you, and that you are in control in this room. But, knowing your alternative, if you wish for me to end your life, I will do so. Your end will be so quick you won't even see it coming, and there will be no pain. I will not defile your body, nor drink your blood…

Sixteen times now I had delivered this same speech, and I had never been able to find a way to properly phrase the ending. How hypocritical I was. I had survived for the last eighty years abstaining from murder. Now, I had claimed fourteen innocent lives since being brought as a captive to Volterra. I hadn't tasted their blood, and had offered them a merciful alternative, but their blood still stained my hands.

But I could see from her thoughts that she understood. Her initial screams were the blind panic of the unknown and the imagined. This was beyond that. This was the horrified, catatonic stare of a mortal consciousness faced with the terrible knowledge of the certainty of imminent death.

"For what it's worth, I'm so very sorry. You're meaningless to them. I'm their true purpose here.

But she said nothing. I felt the slightest gust of air as her arm moved, and heard the whisper of her hair brushing her shoulders. Through her eyes, I watched as she shook her head and held one hand up in a wordless gesture, half insisting and half imploring that I just leave her alone.

That much, at least, I could offer.

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><p><strong>Thanks are very much in order for Gleena, who gave permission for the use of this storyline.<strong>

**Would love to hear your thoughts in regards to this.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: This story originates from a scenario mentioned in The Cold War by Gleena of a particularly dark possible future for Edward, as seen by Alice. Permission has been obtained from the original author to expand on the aforementioned scenario.**

**Warning: This story contains graphic references to rape.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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><p>"How can I trust you?" she asked awhile later. "How do I know you're not just toying with me?" She had been wrestling with what I had told her, and this was the key issue; all she had to go on was my word.<p>

"Ultimately, it's your decision. I can't offer any proof other than my word that this is what you face. You will have to make up your own mind."

She was silent while she mulled over my admission. The reality of impending death was still too much for her to accept, and she was trying to distract herself, focusing other mundane topics while ignoring the very conspicuous elephant in the room.

"What did you mean when you said you're their true purpose here?" she asked.

"Well, it's a long story," I began, "and it requires some understanding of the history and sociology of the vampire world."

I explained about the Volturi; their composition, their self imposed duty to enforce the law, and Aro's dark little secret; his obsession with collecting gifted vampires. I knew she had never heard any of this information before, but it made me feel like a cast member of a stage production after five or six weeks of performances; struggling to deliver emphasis in a story line that had been repeated ad nauseum. The only difference in her experience was that she had actually "met" Aro, if only briefly.

"With my mind reading ability, Aro decided he wanted me for the Guard. To make matters worse, he also covets the abilities of my wife, daughter and siblings. For now, I'm the only one he has, which brings us to this room."

"How do you know he only has you?" she asked, curious in spite of herself.

"Because if he had any of the others, he would use them against me, to force me to do his bidding. I live in fear that someday he will appear at this door with my wife or daughter as his hostage and make a demand. At that point, I will be undone; there is nothing I wouldn't do to protect them.

"For now, he uses every method available to crush my will. He separates me from my family, confines me to this cell, denies me the only meal my conscience will allow me, and strips me of any semblance of dignity. Then he offers me two horrible choices; either of which requires a denial of my morality. The two women who were killed by the guards? It was purposely done as close to my cell as possible, so that I couldn't help but hear every detail, even their thoughts. I tried to help the first one, but the guards prevented me. All I could do is try not to listen.

"Aro wants to break my will and add me to his Guard; a mindless toy to serve at his whim. Ultimately, he wants my whole family bent and broken to his purpose. He knows I can see his plans, so he structures them so that there is no way I can stop them, even with my knowledge. All I can do is stand firm and resist. This is a battle of stamina and endurance; time is on his side, but I haven't come so far to just give up.

Beth was silent yet again while her mind worked furiously. Everything I had told her had only confirmed the unfortunate truth; she was going to die, and for no other purpose than as a pawn to torture another.

"How can you stand it? How can you just sit there staring at the walls so calmly?" she asked, giving voice to her outrage. "How can you sit there; polite and calm with this, this…" Words failed her as she trailed off.

"I'm barely hanging on," I responded. "Normal vampires feed once every week or two; I haven't fed in over four months. Any other vampire would've lunged at you the second you were in the door. The only reason I can resist is because I've had nearly eighty years to perfect my control and resist the call of the thirst.

"On top of that, I've started to doubt my sanity. I've been hallucinating, seeing my wife. I know she can't be there, but there she is. I can feel her, hear her. It's so real. She holds me while I cry out from the horror of it all, and tells me that I have to go on, to do whatever is necessary to survive, for her and our family. Logically, I should be afraid to see someone that I know isn't there, but I ache to see her again, to confess my sins and hear her accept them and love me regardless. It's the only thing that keeps me going."

I closed my eyes for a moment and held onto a memory of Bella's arms wrapped around my neck, and her kisses. I could almost hear her voice.

"As for the rest of it, the only thing I can control in this situation is my response to it. I offer you courtesy and civility because it's the right thing to do. You are someone's daughter, someone's fiancée. I would hope that, if my wife or daughter were ever subjected to this… situation, they would be treated with the same respect."

"Is there any hope at all?" she pleaded.

I sighed. "I used to think so. My family is the strongest vampiric coven in existence, apart from the Volturi, and we have many allies. At first, I believed I would be rescued any day, but it's been four months. All I can do now is plan for the worst. You may attempt to stay positive and hope for a miracle, but no one came to rescue all the women who have been here before you. As I said, I will not take your choice away from you; all I can do is help you make an informed decision."

She fell silent again as she mulled over what I had told her. Though my genteel behavior felt like nothing so much as a painful mockery of true civility, it had the positive effect of breaking down barriers of suspicion and establishing trust, just as it was doing now. She was still afraid, but not of me. Now, she was curious.

"Tell me about them; your wife and your daughter."

I sighed as I delved into my most treasured memories. Remembering Bella and Renesmee was simultaneously wonderful and excruciating. Thinking of them would bring me the closest I could come to joy in this place, but it would also remind me of my longing for their presence, and my fears that I would never see them again. But I couldn't resist.

I told her all about Bella and Renesmee. Their likes and dislikes, their personality, their sense of humor, our intense love for each other. Giving voice to my memories almost made them come alive in this drab, dark cell. But it couldn't last. The memories weren't enough. The light of their smiles couldn't hold the darkness back.

_He loves them so much. Even without seeing his face, I can hear it in his voice._ _He sounds like me when I think about Daniel. Oh, my poor beautiful Daniel. What will this do to you? Who will help you through this? You'll be so alone… Oh, crap. He can hear me. You can hear me, can't you?_

"Yes, but I wasn't going to say anything. I can't help hearing your thoughts, but I do my best not to take advantage of that information."

But now her thoughts had turned to her family, wondering how the people she loved the most would cope with her disappearance, never knowing that their daughter had died in a vampire's castle in Italy.

"Will you tell me about them?" I asked.

"Who?"

"Your family. The loved ones you're thinking about right now."

She hesitated. And then the walls came down.

Beth spoke for nearly an hour, telling me the story of her life. Born and raised in Miami; Mother, father, brother, sister, the average life of the American Dream; graduated from high school with honors, full ride scholarship to Florida State, where she met Daniel, the man of her dreams. Just before she had left on her trip to Europe, he had asked her to marry him, and she had gladly accepted. She shared amusing anecdotes about her family members and her life.

But the reality of her situation couldn't be staved off for long, and she slowly stopped speaking; remembering the last time she had seen her family and her husband-to-be. Realizing that it really would be the last time.

"I'm never going to see any of them again, am I?" She asked, her voice breaking.

"No."

She wept quietly; grief flooding her mind as she struggled to cope with the finality of it all, the lost chances that would never be regained, the desperate hope for more time when there was no time left to be had. I wanted to comfort her, but experience had taught me that true pain is too big for words to even describe, let alone alleviate.

"I'm sorry. If it were within my power to return you to them, I would do it. There is one thing I can offer you, though."

Her thoughts immediately returned to my offer to end her life.

"Apart from that. All vampires have perfect memories. I'll remember every word you've said as long as I live. If you would like to leave a message for your family, if I ever get out of here, I will see that the message is passed on to them."

Hope flared in her thoughts at the prospect. "What should I say?"

"Whatever you like. I'll remember it word for word and write it down for delivery to the address of your choice. Just speak it out loud, and I will never forget it."

Most of the others had chosen to leave messages to their families. Each message was poignant in its own unique way, and each touched some facet of my long dead heart, as well.

_Amazing. He's like a guardian angel, and not just mine. How has he survived four months of this torture?_

"Thank you," she whispered emphatically. "How can you be so wonderful and selfless in the middle of this hell?"

"I told you; it's all I have left."

She was silent again for a very long time. Her thoughts were a jumble of fear and growing resolve. She still hadn't decided anything, but I could see where this was going. A few of the others had made this offer, but only halfheartedly, and it had been easy to refuse. Now, starving and weak, watching this young woman's hardening resolve crystallize within her psyche, I steeled my self for my most difficult battle yet.

"Edward, what does the thirst feel like?" And so it began.

"It's as if someone has set your throat on fire from the inside. And the only way to truly quench that fire is to murder someone, to take their life from them."

"But would it still be murder if that person offered their life to you freely?"

"Please, don't start down that path."

"Why not? You told me that any other vampire would've already killed me by now, but your control _has_ to have limits. What will happen if you keep starving yourself until the point that you lose control completely and kill the next human they send to you?"

She had struck right to the heart of my worst fears. "I fear that, too, but it still doesn't justify profiting from murder."

"Wouldn't you be more of a monster if you lost control and took her choice away? Edward, this pain you fear... my blood can help it, right?

"No! You can't ask this of me! I've resisted for decades. I can't give in now. I have to stand by my beliefs. What kind of monster will I be if…"

"Just hold on until I'm finished," she interrupted. "Now, the other girls; the ones before me, you could've fed off of them after deaths, but you didn't. Is it because the blood has to be taken while they're still alive?"

"No. I didn't have their permission. I didn't ask for it and I didn't want it. I will not be a monster; I will resist that fate for as long as I'm able. I will not transgress."

"So you suffer because you respected their choices"

"Yes," I said, already seeing the trap I had fallen into.

"Then won't you respect mine? It's my blood to do with as I wish, and I'm giving it to you. You've given the others mercy in their deaths, I want to give you some mercy in mine. Once… once you take my life, I want you to drink my blood. It won't be murder," and here she uttered a slightly hysterical chuckle, "and you'll need it more than I will at that point."

The selfless sincerity of her offer was plain to see.

I was silent.

Oh, it was so tempting. The scent of her blood had tortured me from the moment she had entered the room. I had never heard such an offer before, a human, willingly offering herself up as a sacrifice to help slake my thirst.

But I couldn't! I shook away my momentary weakness. Even a life freely offered was still a life taken. I couldn't accept it; even though my body craved it like nothing save the day I had first encountered Bella's scent

_Yes, Edward, you can._

What? It was Bella's voice. I couldn't see her, but I heard her, as clearly as if she was standing right next to me.

_She's offering herself freely, selflessly. Do you think I would do any less if I were in her place? Do you think I will hold this against you when I see you again? She's offering you a gift of gratitude, love. Accept it with grace; the same grace you've shown as you have faced all of your challenges these past months._

And there it was. I had denied myself the right to play God and commit murder all those many years ago. But was it truly murder if the victim, a woman I would save from a horrible death by ending her life swiftly and cleanly, offered her blood to me in trade, with no reservations or hesitation?

_No, love. It's compassion. You have been so compassionate to these poor women. Let one of them show a little compassion for you. She's offering you a way to stay strong, so that you can return to us. You know I will forgive you any sin, but here; there is nothing to forgive._

And I had no rebuttal. Every counter argument had been trumped by Beth's selflessness or by Bella's ghostly voice in my head. I would do this. I was certain. I would end her life swiftly, and take her blood; the blood that she offered to me freely.

But not until she was ready

"Edward," Beth's voice called gently, "Are you okay?

"Beth, I am only what I am; a vampire that has denied himself for a very long time. I accept your offer. But only when you're ready."

She shivered, seeming to belatedly realize she had been bargaining with her executioner.

"So, h-how does this work?"

"It's very simple. We will agree on a phrase, something as simple as 'I'm ready'. By uttering that phrase, we agree that you will be giving me consent to take your life. It will be over almost before you know it's happening. Your mind will barely register it before you are gone. Is this acceptable?"

"Y-y-yes," she stammered, fear threatening to overwhelm her.

"Don't be frightened. I promise there will be no pain. You won't even see it coming. If you'd like to leave a message for your family, now would be a good time."

She took a long minute to compose herself before she began, asking me to deliver it to her parent's house in Florida. Her voice quavered as she spoke, and grief poured from her thoughts as she offered her final benediction.

"My Dear Family,

"By the time this message reaches you, I will be long dead. I can't imagine you would ever stop looking for me, but I can assure you that I won't be found. I want you to know that my end was quick and painless, and my only fear was that I was leaving you behind to grieve for me. I wasn't alone either, because God left a friend for me in the most unlikely of places, and he protected me right to the end.

"My beloved Daniel. I'm so afraid to think that this is the last time I get to say that. You have changed my life so much, and from the day I met you, I wanted more than anything to be your wife. I am so angry that this is the end; that we won't be married; that I will never see your eyes or your smile again; that we won't grow old together. My life will be over very soon, but my love for you will live forever. I know you will grieve, and that someday you will move on and find someone else. I give you my blessing, and my one request is that you find joy and happiness, for my sake if nothing else.

"Mom and Dad, I can't even imagine what you will go through because of this. Just know that I loved you, and I couldn't have asked for better parents. So much of who I am, I owe to you. I can't imagine the pain of losing a child, but I know you'll have Bobby and Meredith, and they'll both need you so much now. Please look out for Daniel; he would've been your son someday, and he'll need your love and support, too.

"My dear Brother and Sister, there is so much I've left unsaid between us. It's so hard to relate to siblings as friends when there's so much irritation and squabbling. I want you to know I love you, and in the end, all of the little things we hated about each other don't really matter. I will miss you all so much, and my only regret is that I didn't spend enough time with you. I know me being gone will be hard on you, but Mom and Dad will be there for you, and they'll need your help, too.

"I'm running out of things to say here. If I could fill up the rest of this message with I Love You's, I would do it, but there isn't enough time. Just make sure you don't take any moment for granted, and never pass up an opportunity to love each other, because you never know which moment is going to be your last.

"I love you all so very much…" she trailed off as words failed her again, and her mind clouded with fear and sorrow.

I remained silent as she collected herself. Why did I torture them like this? Why did I torture myself? Perhaps things would be simpler if I just killed them the moment they entered my cell. Death was inevitable, regardless. Perhaps I should just get it over with next time and end it quickly without the terrible conversations, the fear-soaked reactions and the devil's choice that would follow.

But no, that wasn't who I was. I had lived nearly a century of self-sacrifice, denying my own desires in favor of my humanity. As excruciating as it all was, I had to offer them the choice. I wasn't God.

"Are you ready?" I asked. I could tell from her sniffling that she was crying.

She responded with a loud sniff and a deep breath of air. "Are you sure it's not going to hurt?"

"I promise. Once you say the words "I'm ready," you won't even have time to take your next breath. It'll happen too fast for you to even see it coming."

"I'm so scared," she said through her tears.

"I know. I wish…" and now my words failed me. Wished that she were home, safe with her loving family? Wished that the Volturi were wiped off the face of the Earth, or ruled by leadership with conscience? Wished that there were no such thing as vampires? The world wasn't big enough for all of our unfulfilled wishes. "I wish," I said with a defeated shrug.

Her breathing was quick and shallow, and her heart was racing, but slowly steadying as she prepared herself.

She took one deep breath, held it for a moment, and then exhaled. My body was tensed for action, waiting for the words I knew she was working herself up to.

One more breath. A brief pause.

_Dear God, I don't know how you feel about vampires, but please protect this one and return him to his family. Amen._

"I'm ready."

Before the words were even fully out of her mouth, I gave free reign to the bloodthirsty monster within me. As he laughed in triumph, I shoved off the wall and lunged at her throat.

Before she even finished the word 'ready', I had already snapped her neck, and my teeth sliced through the skin of her throat, questing for the delicious nectar that I had denied for so very long. Beth barely had enough time to feel surprise at the swiftness of it before her thoughts faded out.

Human blood, freely given. Words couldn't describe the ecstasy that coursed through me with each mouthful of delicious, sweet blood. Beth had overcome every objection my conscience could produce, and the disembodied voice of my wife urged me on, telling me that this was what I needed to survive. Any semblance of guilt drowned beneath the heavenly taste, the relief as the horrible burning that had tormented me for so long finally abated. She had offered me her blood, and I took all of it.

Finally, after I had drained Beth's body of its last drop, I released her and cradled her in my arms. After what she had given me, I would treat her mortal remains with respect. No doubt the guards would simply throw her body unceremoniously into the incinerator, but I would do what I could to honor her memory.

As her face fell away from me, I got my first look at her, and I froze in shock.

Pale skin, beautiful brown hair, brown eyes, and a heart shaped face. The two were distinctly different, but the resemblance to my Bella was unmistakable. I remembered the crafty and smug expression on Aro's face, as he inspected her in the feeding chamber.

_I believe this one will be perfect for our guest._

He knew. The evil creature sent her to my cell specifically because he knew she would remind me of Bella. That I would have to face killing her or letting her meet a brutal end at another's hands. Behind his façade of civility, Aro's depravity truly knew no bounds.

My body convulsing with dry sobs, I laid Beth's body on the floor and closed her blank, staring eyes. My eyes were locked on her as I backed away. How could I go on with this memory etched into the crystalline passages of my mind?

My progress away from Beth's body was interrupted, unexpectedly. A familiar form pressed up against me from behind. I closed my eyes in relief. Bella was here once more.

"I'm sorry, love. I was so thirsty, and she offered her blood to me. I couldn't resist."

"I know, Edward, I know."

But it wasn't her voice.

I whirled in shock, staring at her wide-eyed. The apparition before me shared Bella's features, but it was as if a stranger was staring back at me from behind a mask. A gloating, triumphant smile marred her beautiful features, and her eyes were now the crimson red of a vampire recently glutted on human blood.

I backed away, as the walls began to close in around me. "You're… what…"

"You know exactly who I am, Edward," she said in the voice that wasn't her voice. And then I knew.

The voice.

It was my own.

My own voice, speaking with the hungry, predatory tenor of the monster.

What had I done? I knew she was a hallucination, projected by my battered psyche in a desperate attempt to find solace in this torture chamber. I had depended on her and trusted her because I had no one else. How could I have forgotten that she was just an illusion projected by my own thoughts and memories? The same thoughts and memories shared by the monster.

Decades of resisting the call, and I had finally given in; tricked and deceived by the manifestation of my own instinctual desires. I felt violently ill, and fell to the ground, retching and heaving, trying to dredge up the blood I had consumed. It was too late; my treacherous, starving body had already absorbed the fluid into its parched systems.

I was alone. My last solace, the memories of my wife, had ultimately betrayed me. I was locked in this nightmare alone, with every hand turned against me.

Bella the monster leered at me in triumph, "Of course I'll never leave you, Edward," she mocked in the ghastly, alien voice, "I _am_ you."

And I screamed. Screamed in agony, guilt, betrayal, fear, shame, and violation. Every negative emotion I had ever experienced came pouring out of me in a torrent of wordless shrieks. I huddled against the wall, screaming over and over, not knowing if I would ever stop.

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><p><strong>Thanks are very much in order for Gleena, who gave permission for crmcneill and me to use this little scenario.<strong>

**Would love to know your thoughts! ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: This story originates from a scenario mentioned in The Cold War by Gleena of a particularly dark possible future for Edward, as seen by Alice. Permission has been obtained from the original author to expand on the aforementioned scenario.**

**Warning: This story contains graphic references to rape.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

><p>I don't know how long it lasted. At times, I wasn't sure if the nightmare had ever <em>not<em> existed, and that my memories of my life before were nothing but hallucinations as well. Nothing seemed certain.

I had retreated into the depths of my own mind; reality was just too painful. The monster had taken over completely. He prowled the room like a tiger in a cage. The guards still brought women to my cell, but he wasted no time with them, killing them and draining them as fast as they could be shoved into the room. The guards were silent now; the monster frightened them.

I watched from within, detached. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. In some ways, it reminded me of tedious hours spent watching in-class movies in high school. You couldn't leave; you didn't really want to pay attention; but the consequences of leaving were worse than staying.

So I watched, almost as though his eyes were cameras, his ears microphones. I sat and watched, passively. Experiencing, not reacting. Reaction was pain. Reality was pain. None of it was real, anyway.

But I couldn't let go completely. If I retreated too far inward, the nightmares began. Horrific images warped and poisoned every happy memory I ever had. The memories of Bella were the worst; Bella dead on the operating table, a gaping wound in her abdomen, my venom too little and too late to save her; Bella and Renesmee burning on a pyre, the Volturi victorious as I was forced to watch my universe turn to ashes and cinders. Every good thing, every pleasurable memory I had ever experienced was perverted into something twisted and evil.

I remembered when I had thought Bella lost to me, and I had considered suicide. Once again, I found myself at that place. What else was there for me? Trapped in a cell within a cell, sharing my own body and mind with a crazed murderer. Once again, I had taken human life and an innocent life at that. My mind was broken beyond repair. What could I offer Bella now?

The monster was silent. He had won; he had no need to even acknowledge my existence.

Time passed. Perhaps. I couldn't be sure. I couldn't even truly be sure of what I was seeing. Everything I experienced acquired a sensation of déjà vu.

Some things seemed new, and did not repeat. Aro came to visit, apparently overjoyed to hear of my fall. I sensed his covetous, avaristic thoughts as he and his personal guards approached my cell.

He had succeeded. He had broken me. But not in the manner he expected.

The monster attacked the moment they entered my cell. Felix's arm was torn off at the elbow before he could blink. The monster threw him aside and lunged for the door. Jane's gift immobilized him with pain, but even then he thrashed about in a frenzy. Alec blinded and numbed, but his gift only worked on physical senses. Using the sight of the Volturi guards for perspective, still he attacked. When sight and sound returned, he was pinned to the wall by four massive guards, snarling ferociously; the guards' arms and faces marked by bites and gouges inflicted by the monster's blind rage.

Aro attempted to speak, but the monster was beyond words, and I wasn't listening. When Aro approached and tried to touch him, the monster's struggles flared to new levels. Even four vampires, each chosen for their strength and prowess, were hard pressed to restrain him. When Aro was finally able to make contact, his thoughts echoed with apprehension. The monster was totally useless to him, its existence a mockery of his design. A crazed vampire couldn't be forced to reproduce, and even if it were possible, what manner of offspring would occur? They would be more uncontrollable than even the immortal children. It was at that moment I sensed reprieve. Aro began to contemplate my destruction.

My dead heart soared at the realization, and the monster faltered, recognizing a change. NO! I roared. I need him to continue in this madness, to force the devil's hand. For the first time since the day I had killed Beth, I began to battle for control again. Aro had to believe that this body was worthy of only destruction now; it was my only way out. If Bella and Renesmee really existed, if my memories were more than hallucinations, surely they couldn't look at what I had become and want me any longer. Let this mirage of my time with my family be preserved in its perfect, simplistic glory. It would be far more merciful for all concerned if this thing that I'd become would perish.

But I had been dormant too long, and the monster had grown strong. Aro and his contingent exited the room as the struggle continued.

"Throw him the little one," he said. "I must consider this before I make a decision."

Jane paralyzed the monster and, as the door was closing, the sound of something being thrown into the room could be heard behind us. The beast turned and eyed the tender morsel. I had believed there was nothing further Aro could do to my conscience, but as the monster slashed the small child's throat, I realized how wrong I had been. I had to watch through him as life drained out of her brown eyes and blood spattered her copper ringlets. The beast was back into his vicious cycle now, glutting himself on the child's innocent blood. I willed myself into silence.

The nightmares began to intrude further and further into reality, as the guards began to take on the characteristics of my family and friends. Carlisle laughed at the beast's nakedness and filth, jeering about the state into which I had fallen. Emmett manhandled me to the wall as Alice laughed, using her skills to hold the beast still so that the child's drained body could be removed. Rosalie arched her elegant eyebrow from just behind Aro as she stood barely touching his robes. Jasper and Jacob cleaned the room of every item, their laughter echoing in the empty chamber. Esme stood against the wall, sneering. I didn't see Bella or Nessie. I was to be denied even the benefit of seeing them when I was being taunted.

The door to the chamber slammed and one thought became apparent. We had been left here as an experiment. The thoughts of the guards surrounding the door echoed the sentiment. How long could a vampire survive without blood and what happened as a vampire's body ceased to function? It would seem that, sooner or later, they would find out.

~DS~

Time passed…

~DS~

The monster had grown weak. He now prowled around me, inside the body that lay decimated on the floor. Hunger had long passed. I saw my body through his eyes. Our prison was now as gaunt as the body of a holocaust victim. So, in the end, it would seem that the body, without the restorative powers of blood, would resort back to biological decay. The monster could barely move what was left. In a last effort at self-preservation, he had passively offered me control, but I waited in stillness for peace.

The echoes of the minds around me had long grown into a maelstrom of noises; my power was beginning to fade. I could barely discern individual voices; much less follow their lines of thought. It was with this limited ability that I noticed activity in the hallway. Perhaps they had grown tired of waiting and decided to put an end to the experiment.

The door flew open, and I heard gasps and felt the vibrations of footsteps on the stone floor. Too many thoughts! Pain flashed through my head, and I moaned at the onslaught. Then a pair of hands reach under me, and I was pulled from the floor into a wide set of arms.

And then we were moving; the walls blurring by so fast that I felt like I was flying. I couldn't hear anything anymore. The castle walls were replaced by the night. Then the smell of leather and metal drifted through my consciousness, along with a sensation of motion and stillness. A car? Before long I was in a forest, and I heard an unrecognizable noise and then felt liquid dripping on my face.

"He's not drinking," I heard someone call out.

"I don't think he can," came another voice.

I felt fingers pry at my jaw, but it was frozen shut. "Break his jaw, Emmett."

Sounds of distress accompanied the sound of dried carbon snapping, and then I felt the moisture in my mouth. Hands quickly began to massage my throat. The hunger roared to life, but I couldn't move, not even to grasp what was being held to me. The warm liquid began to trickle slowly down my throat, the cells soaking it up before it traveled too far. The flow stopped too soon. Then another warm body was put to my face, and the feeding began again.

_They're postponing your death! They just want to torture you more. _The monster spoke in my head. My struggles began again, and I jerked my head away, twisting it from side to side to avoid the fluid.

"Why is he fighting it?" Emmett snarled in frustration.

"Em, stop. If he gets his strength back, he's going to fight us," Alice called. "He's gone feral. We'll have to wait until we get him home. Jasper?" and I felt a wave of calm envelop me.

A string of electronic tones interrupted the moment of silence; a cell phone dialing.

"Bella, we've got him" Alice said, but then paused for a moment, listening.

"Look, he's alive and safe; that's what matters. Turn the hostages loose and head for the rendezvous. We'll be there in an hour." Alice sighed as she hung up.

"It's just as well that we needed Bella to conceal the location of the hostages from Demetri. If she'd been here to see this, she would've torn them into little pieces and danced around their funeral pyre."

"And we should have _let_ her," snarled Emmett. "Look at him! We should've made Sulpicia and Athenodora into a fucking bonfire, videotaped it and mailed the ashes and the tape to Volterra!"

"I know, Emmett, but that will have to wait," Carlisle soothed. "For now, though, we honor our deal. We have him back; revenge can wait." A warm hand cradled my head. "Oh, my son. What did they do to you?" His voice broke at the end.

And then I was flying once again.

What followed was a whirling collage of images: strange sights, familiar voices, and half-heard conversations. I could tell I was in the back seat of a car, and that it was still night outside. The scenery rushed by as I stared blankly, not truly seeing.

"It's the strangest thing. He's experiencing multiple, conflicting emotions at once, and they're reacting to each other, almost like there's more than one person there. Can vampires have Multiple Personality Disorder?" Jasper mused

"I don't know," Carlisle muttered. "In all my years, I've never seen anything like this. They must have been starving him for months on end."

"What the hell did they do to him? Alice?" Emmett growled.

"Don't ask me, Emmett; now is not a good time to talk about it," Alice replied. Her tone was anguished.

"The hell it isn't! You've been walking around in a daze ever since he got taken, and you wouldn't tell us anything. I _know_ you saw what happened!"

"_Emmett!"_ Jasper snarled.

"STOP IT!" Alice yelled. "_Both_ of you! I did keep it from you, and it was the hardest thing I've ever done, but there were damned good reasons! Just drop it until we get him home! Please."

Silence.

"Can we even take him home like this?" Emmett asked.

"We're going to have to," Carlisle responded

The voices faded in and out.

They pulled me from the car as gently as they could. The smell of jet fuel, metal, concrete and oil filled the air.

"Edward!" I heard an oh-so familiar voice cry out, followed by the sound of running footsteps rapidly approaching. Emmett lowered me from his arms into a standing position, with him and Jasper supporting me on either side. I was too weak to stand on my own, and all my weight rested on their arms.

A pair of tiny hands caressed my cheeks and raised my head from where it rested lifelessly, with my chin on my chest. Slowly, gently, the hands lifted my gaze until I caught a glimpse of a face.

Bella.

The monster, again! He had come to finish the job and send me into bowels of hell in the guise of my Love. I harvested every last shred of energy within me, and lunged one last time at the cause of my insanity. Hands grabbed me from behind, as others snatched the monster away just before my teeth reached the hallucination.

"Bella, watch out; his emotions are all over the place," Jasper warned.

The fiend's golden eyes widened at the declaration, and at the sight of my black lifeless eyes. She raised her hands to cover her mouth as she continued to gaze at me; horrified.

My body sagged in the arms of my brothers. The lunge had cost me dearly; I had nothing left…

"Look at him!" Bella choked, her voice seething with rage and grief. "You should've told me, so I could burn those two _bitches_ on the spot. Aro will pay for this if it's the last thing I do! Edward, Oh my God, Edward. What have they done to you?" Her tiny, warm hands caressed my face. How many times had I dreamed this dream? It couldn't be real. The monster seethed at the foreign touch, but we were both too weak to react, aside from a quiet growl.

What was this? Had I finally been rescued? No! I couldn't let myself hope. This had to be some new trick. It had to be.

"What happened to him, Carlisle?" Bella asked. "Why did he attack me?"

"I don't have any answers for you, Bella. We have to get him home and see if we can get him to open up to us. Hopefully, now that we have him back, Alice will be willing to tell us what she's seen. She may be the only way to know what we're dealing with here."

Lying on a couch, a curved ceiling overhead, and the sound of jet engines: we were on a small private plane. The mouthful of blood I had consumed had not been enough to give me any strength, but my senses had cleared. The thoughts still roared in my head, muddled and distorted. But I could hear them talking.

"I'm SORRY!" Alice shrieked. "If you had known what he was going through, you would've charged off to rescue him, and you would've _died_, and he would _still be_ there. I had to wait until I saw a chance for all of us to get out alive, and I swear this is the first chance that has come up. Do you honestly think I would've just left him there this long if there was any possibility of getting him out sooner?"

Bella snarled in response

"Bella," Carlisle cautioned. "Alice, no one is blaming you. We know you had your reasons, but now we need to know what you saw so that we can start to help him."

"It's so horrible," she whimpered in response. "I don't even want to think about it, much less tell you. Bella is going to _snap_ when she hears everything."

Carlisle sighed. "Alright. Is there anything you can tell us now?"

There was a long moment of silence, then a hesitant breath. "He was so strong at the beginning, but I could see him slipping. They would send…people…into the room with him, and he had to choose between killing them himself or letting them get tortured to death by the guards. After a while, when he was alone, he started to talk to Bella, as if she were there in the room with him.

"And then, one day, after he killed one of them, it all seemed to go wrong. He started talking like Bella was in the room again, and then all of a sudden he was shocked and horrified by something, and he crumpled against the wall and just started screaming. It felt like it went on forever, but then it cut off all of a sudden, and he looked up and his eyes opened, and he wasn't Edward any more…"

Her voice trailed off, and she was silent for a long moment. "Everything else has to wait. I can't…I…Jasper?" Her voice broke, fading as she headed forward to join Jasper in the cockpit.

The others were silent for quite a while.

"Well," Carlisle said, finally.

"What happened to him?" Bella pressed.

"Well, until Alice tells us more, I can only make an educated guess, but I have a strong suspicion. Vampires are highly instinctual creatures, most especially when it comes to feeding, but also in other life aspects: mates, self-preservation and the like. In many ways, those instincts form a personality all of their own; one that can take over completely if we allow it. When Edward and I would discuss the matter, he always referred to this part of himself as "the monster;" the instinctual side of him that he fought against to maintain his humanity.

"I think that whatever they did to him was so traumatizing that his mind withdrew from reality. In a human, this would result in a catatonic state. In a vampire, because our instincts are so much stronger, relatively speaking… Well, I think the "monster," as he called it, has taken over completely. Edward is still in there somewhere, but he doesn't want to come out.

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><p><strong>Thanks are very much in order for Gleena, who gave me permission for crmcneill and me to use this little scenario.<strong>

**Please let me know what you think about this fic! Would love to know your thoughts!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: This story originates from a scenario mentioned in The Cold War by Gleena of a particularly dark possible future for Edward, as seen by Alice. Permission has been obtained from the original author to expand on the aforementioned scenario.**

**Warning: This story contains graphic references to rape.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

><p>For a long moment, no one spoke. And then Carlisle's cell phone rang. His eyes narrowed as he read the caller ID. "Aro."<p>

He held the phone to his ear and simply listened. I was still too weak to hear Aro's voice through the phone, but it was obvious that this conversation wasn't going well. Carlisle's normally calm expression became more and more angry by the second as Aro spoke. Finally, he had enough.

"And _I_ will not forget this _either_, Aro!" Carlisle roared into the phone. "This is _my_ warning to _you_; the Cullen family no longer recognizes the legal or moral authority of the Volturi, who have imprisoned and tortured one of our members without cause. Any member of the Volturi or its Guard found in our territory will be considered hostile, and attacked on sight. In addition, we will be informing our friends and allies of the treatment Edward received at your hands. I'm sure they will all be quite interested to hear this particular story."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "Out of respect for our former friendship, I offer you this advice. If you intend to send any of your puppets against us, make sure to supply them with a properly labeled urn, so that their remains may be returned to you as expeditiously as possible. This conversation is over."

He snapped the phone shut and stared at it for a moment, as if he wished he could grind it into dust.

A chorus of low growls rumbled through the cabin in response to Carlisle's outburst. Rosalie and Esme had been with Bella and joined us at the airport. My whole family, together again. I wanted to succumb to the joy and contentment that the thought brought to me. But I couldn't. It couldn't be real. It could only be another mirage. Soon the torture would begin again. Hope, love, and all the other positive emotions seemed to fuel the nightmares. If I let myself give in, the plane would vanish, and I would be back in the cell in Volterra, being mocked by my torturers yet again. A snarl escaped my clenched teeth at the thought.

"Well, we have some time, but we're going to have to start making some calls," Alice said from the cockpit. "We're going to need our friends again."

"Alice…" Bella began, before she faltered into silence.

"Go talk to him, but don't touch him," Alice answered. "You need to take this very slow. Talk to him about what happened while he was gone."

I tensed as Bella rose from her seat and walked slowly towards the rear of the plane where I lay on a couch. Struggling to focus, my eyes tracked her form as she approached. A weak growl whistled from my lips, warning the apparition to stay away.

The look on her face...such sadness. The monster was never sad; there was no room in his feral outlook for sadness. What was this?

"Don't worry; I won't touch you. I just wanted to come see you. I've missed you so much," she said as she sat on the floor, facing me. Her hands were to her sides, palms down on the floor.

For a long moment, we simply stared at each other, I with wary suspicion, she as though she would be weeping if she could.

"You've been gone so long. I was frantic when you disappeared, then when Alice told us the Volturi had you…she wouldn't give us any details, but she's spent the last year walking around looking sick to her stomach. I was so worried; I was so afraid that the next bit of news we heard would be that you had been executed, and then I don't know what I would've done. That bastard Aro wouldn't even respond to questions about you. Of course, he invited all of us to come visit whenever we wished, but we weren't going to fall for that one."

Was this some new trick? Even in the cell, before the monster had cast off his mask, he had never volunteered new information. All of the reassurances were vague, telling me that I needed to survive and that my family would come for me, but never giving me anything that I didn't already know. Had my hallucinations become so acute that my imagination was inventing fiction?

"All we could do was wait for an opportunity, anything that might help get you back to us. Then, two weeks ago, Alice had a vision. Aro and Caius' mates, Sulpicia and Athenodora, never leave the tower, but they do have a secluded outdoor garden on the castle grounds. There was a narrow window of opportunity for us to sneak in and kidnap them."

"We took them, then split up into two groups; Esme, Rose and I took the wives to a hideout; I wanted to be there when we rescued you, but they needed my shield to hide our hostages from Demetri. The others stayed on the move so they couldn't be pinned down. After a while, they called Aro and told him that we would make a trade. He's a selfish, conniving bastard, but he wouldn't risk any harm coming to his mate."

"Carlisle told him we didn't trust him to bring you to us, and that he wanted the tower cleared so that they could come in and get you themselves. You were there for the rest."

"You should have heard those two stuck-up cows, Edward; mouthing off about how this was intolerable, that Aro and Caius would make us suffer, how you deserved what happened to you. I swear I would've killed them if I thought I could still get you safe out of the deal."

Could it possibly be real? I couldn't dare to hope. Hope was painful. Hope was the tipping point of the slippery slope that led back to the nightmares and the horror. But still...

"Nessie's so excited about seeing you again. She's safe at La Push, with Jake and the pack. She wanted to come, but Alice needed to be able to see her visions, and Nessie still blocks them. You should see her; she's grown up so much." At that, her voice broke and she was silent again for a long while.

"We've missed you so much! For the last year, I dreamed about getting you back and having you in my arms. And now that you're here, I can't touch you. I _hate_ it, Edward. I hate what they've done to you! And we will have each other back some day. But for now, it's enough to know that you're here, and you're safe."

Oh, how I wanted to believe. None of the nightmares had ever been this real. The sense of déjà vu was missing in its entirety, and this felt so deliciously new. Oh, how I hoped this was real, that the nightmare had finally come to an end.

Hope.

I crushed the feeling ruthlessly. I had almost given in once more. I tensed, waiting for the nightmare to descend upon me once more.

"Edward, Alice says I can't touch you. I realize that it may be too much for you, but…I was wondering…if it would be okay for me to come closer. I just want to be as near to you as I can. We've been apart for so long."

The monster grew bold with my silence and inched closer to me. The scent of strawberries and freesias flooded my senses. Memories, or dreams, because I still wasn't sure what was real and what was fantasy, washed over me. A heated night on a beach, my dream Bella's skin against mine. A child born of our passion, and the fantasy creatures that sat in the plane with us, surrounding us in pleasure at the miracle of the child. The word "Daddy" echoed in my head. Curly, copper hair.

Matted in red. Brown sightless eyes…

And I withdrew into myself once again. I was a child killer. Killer…monster…fiend…and all caused by the demon in front of me. I began snarling again and was immediately pinned to the couch. Emmett and Jasper's scents were suddenly strong in my nostrils.

"Bella, honey, I'm sorry that it has to be this way, but he can't handle being that close to you for whatever reason. I almost can't feel Edward in there during those times. He's withdrawing from you."

"I'm not leaving, Jasper," I heard Bella say frantically. "I'm afraid that he thinks I abandoned him before because we had to wait so long to get him back. How would you feel, being stuck in that hell for so long, believing you had been forsaken? Look at him, clearly they tortured and starved him. I don't know anything because Alice won't tell me, but I will _not_ be separated from him again. Don't ask it of me…please."

Jasper looked down at her tortured face, and capitulated. "Just back up a little bit, then. Give him a little more room."

Emmett's face was level with mine and it fueled my belief that I was still in the nightmare. But the Emmett of my dreams was rarely serious, much less morose. The visage in front of me was both. Clearly this guard had not been filled in on the appropriate reactions for my "family" members. He was going to blow each one of their covers.

"You believe we're part of the nightmare, don't you?" Jasper asked. "You believe that you're still there. Edward, you're safe. We're taking you home. Emmett and I are going to hold you now. We'll keep holding you until we get home, and then we are going to continue holding you until you believe that we won't let go."

I spent the rest of the trip squeezed between the bodies of my "brothers." Bella watched me from her seat across the aisle. Her golden eyes stayed fixed on my face as if she was looking for something…anything.

I heard Carlisle make several calls, the last being to Jacob. "Yes, we'll be at the airport in an hour. Keep Nessie at La Push." He then paused. "No, she doesn't need to come home right now, Jacob. Not for…a while. I can't explain, but perhaps some of your brothers could keep Nessie, and you could meet us at the house."

Carlisle turned around and saw me staring at him. The concern in his eyes unnerved me. I closed my eyes and existed silently in the beautiful dream, wishing that it would never end.

When the plane rolled to a stop and the door opened, a barrage of scents hit me all at once. We were not in Volterra; even mixed with the mechanical and chemical scents of the airport, nothing but the wet, green habitat of Washington State could smell like this. I had no strength left to even turn my head and see what waited outside. Could I really be home?

I was lifted from the couch and transferred to a waiting car. My monster stayed close, I could feel it. I knew we were probably about to enter the castle again, ending my tour. Time for the torture to begin anew. I wondered what the purpose of having them drag me on this trip was. They could have forced me to drink the blood at the castle to prolong the torture, and I knew it was the hope they were planning to torture me with. Any ounce of it they could find within me. I crushed what little there was quickly, knowing it would be better to destroy it myself.

"Emmett, carry him to the bathroom and send those blankets to me," Esme instructed as they carried me into the Forks house. "I'm going to burn them. He needs a shower. Alice and I will go hunting for him. Feral or not, he needs to eat. He's gone far too long without as it is."

I felt them unwrap the blankets that had covered my gaunt body as Emmett held me, and then I heard my father hiss and uncharacteristically curse. "Damn it, I'm going to destroy Aro when I have the chance. In all my years of existence, I've never seen a vampire reduced to such a state."

He came to stand before me so that he could look in my face. "Edward, open your eyes if you can."

I cracked my lids slightly, responding automatically to the voice that had always been my authority and salvation.

"I'm going to touch you. I won't do anything without telling you first." He then placed his hand under my chin, turning my face to him. "I know now that there is hope. I know very few individuals who could withstand what you have endured, and I know that it's because you held out hoping for us to come. We did, maybe not as quickly as hoped, but as quickly as possible. You're home now, and we will do everything to help you. First things first, you're filthy and your brothers are going to clean you up."

The feeling of hot water over my skin was delicious, and I moaned in response. I vaguely registered the alien feeling of my brothers washing my body and scrubbing my hair harshly, cleaning off the grime. I heard Bella arguing with Carlisle in the background and her sobs. Then I heard her footsteps as she begin to walk away. Without thought or provocation, my body attempted to turn in that direction, as if to stop her. Jasper caught on to my emotion and did what I couldn't.

"Bella," he half shouted, "Don't leave, it's making him nervous."

He and Emmett had gone into the shower with me, clothes and all, but Jasper ripped the door open so that I could see her still in the crowded room. Her face held the slightest trace of optimism as she saw me attempting to look at her. Her tense mouth softened into a tentative smile.

What was this? Why had I reacted like that? This creature that tortured me without respite for months on end, and I was nervous when it went away? Was this some bizarre vampire variation on Stockholm syndrome?

"His clothes aren't going to fit, so just bring a robe, Rose," Carlisle said through the doorway.

I was dried and wrapped into something soft and placed back onto a couch back downstairs. Within a few moments, Esme returned with something my body definitely recognized and desired. The smell of blood traveled in front of her. I saw a cup in her hand and remembered words ran through my head:

_Not _clear_, Rosalie._

Esme handed the cup to Carlisle and stood back, holding a trembling Bella in her arms. Rose and Alice stood beside each other, holding hands and staring down at me.

"You have to eat, Edward. I don't want to force you, but you need to drink this."

I caught a glimpse of Esme turning Bella away as Carlisle loomed in front of me. Then my mouth was open and blood was being poured down my throat. Some slipped past my flaccid lips and trickled down my chin, but most went down my throat. Instinct took over finally and my throat began swallowing. The air stirred with a sudden breeze; Alice had run to the kitchen for more. In a moment, she was back, handing Carlisle another glass before I even finished the thought. My eyes closed in weary defeat.

Then the door opened and a horrible smell wafted through the room. It sent my every nerve on edge with the sensation of threat and danger. My body was decimated, and my defensive reactions were limited to a weak snarl, but everyone tensed when they heard what came out of my chest. As the blood began to permeate my parched tissues, the dull roar in my head began to fade and separate out, reforming mumbles and strange pitches into thoughts and images once again.

"_Jacob, stop!_" Bella screamed, and she tore out of Esme's arms, heading toward the stunned man standing across the room staring at me.

_Oh _God_. No. What happened? What have they done to you, Edward? I'll tear them limb from limb. I'll enjoy every moment, treaties be damned. _

The shocked thoughts and shaking body of the man in front of me mirrored his horrified thoughts in reaction to my appearance. As Bella drew closer to him, my body again reacted unexpectedly. I was _furious!_ Rage swept through me, and the snarling redoubled. Jacob grabbed Bella and forced her behind him. I saw red and struggled to rise. She realized what was happening as I strained against my brothers.

"He thinks you're taking me away from him, Jacob. Get out of my way. Having a wolf around him might not be the best thing right now."

As she tore around him, headed for me, Jacob started crying and smashed the table in front of him in fury. "Damn bloodsucking leeches! Filthy parasites! I'll kill them all!"

I couldn't focus too much on him, because Bella had violated everything that Alice had said and laid her hand on top of mine when she reached me. She was staring right into my eyes. "I love you, Edward Cullen, and nothing…_nothing_ is ever, ever going to separate us again."

And at last, I let myself feel a tiny pinprick of hope.

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><p><strong>Thanks are very much in order for Gleena, who gave me permission for crmcneill and me to use this little scenario.<strong>

**Would love to know your thoughts! ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Two of my stories have been nominated over at the Shimmer Awards – Best Quickie Award (best one-shot) Modus Operandi, my entry into the New Moon round at The Canon Tour (it is my version of James' story), and Forever, an entry for the Fandom Fights the Floods compilation (it is an all human story with a theme that is near and dear to my heart). Unfortunately, they are up against each other…sigh. Please go over and read the stories up for vote on the Shimmers – there are some great ones.**

**http:/shimmerawards(dot)blogspot(dot)com**

* * *

><p><em>As she tore around him, headed for me, Jacob started crying and smashed the table in front of him in fury. "Damn bloodsucking leeches! Filthy parasites! I'll kill them all!"<em>

_I couldn't focus too much on him, because Bella had violated everything that Alice had said and laid her hand on top of mine when she reached me. She was staring right into my eyes. "I love you, Edward Cullen, and nothing - nothing is ever, ever going to separate us again."_

_And at last, I let myself feel a tiny pinprick of hope._

But I'd had that before; the belief that perhaps things were as they were supposed to be. It was a trick, all of it, my mind rationalized. I _had_ to resist. I didn't know if it was possible to destroy something that was a part of me, but I had to fight, and this was the closest I'd been to him in awhile.

Before he could escape, I latched onto his arm, using the strength borne by the blood I'd been fed. A blur of motion, and I was against a wall in the room, my arm wrapped around the monster's neck and the other grabbing its head, ready to separate it from the treacherous body. For a moment, I registered the silky feel of the hair sliding through my fingers. Something was wrong, but the chaos around me left me unable to discern just what it was.

I heard the screams of the women in the background, but my eyes were locked on Jasper as he slowly moved towards me. I snarled loudly, tightening my grasp on the monster's head, and I heard several gasps from around the room.

"Jasper" stopped, as if he sensed my desperation. These guards were good; they'd been tutored in every aspect of my hallucinations.

"Carlisle, he's going to hurt Bella if we come any closer. We have to hold back," he whispered.

_He thinks that Bella is someone different. He doesn't believe she's real._ Carlisle's thoughts were a roiling mixture of sorrow, compassion and horror.

A familiar scent wafted through the air, infusing my nostrils with something that called to me. _Home,_ it seemed to say, and the word _Peace_ echoed faintly in my mind. I shook my head, attempting to dispel the lies.

In that second, I saw the one called Jacob step even closer, and I screamed at him, a snarling, hissing screech better suited to the mountain lions I had once hunted. The one impersonating Emmett threw his arm out, stopping the dark skinned man.

I lowered my mouth to the creature's neck, ready to slash open the skin in rage. I would enjoy tearing into my tormentor first before ending his life. Even if the guards destroyed me afterward, it would be pleasing to see the headless body thrown across the floor.

But when my lips touched the skin, I felt something lurch inside of me. The monster welled up, grappling for control. He wrestled the power away, shoving me aside, protecting her from me. I panicked, as I saw him turn Bella to him, to us. I saw her standing unafraid, her golden eyes staring back trustingly.

If he was still here with me, then…who was this person that he cradled protectively in our arms? He drew her in close, our every breath inhaling the strangely familiar fragrance in great gasps. I felt weak in the knees as the scent overwhelmed us. And then I heard her voice in my mind.

_Edward, I know you're in there somewhere. Please come back to me. I need you. Nessie needs you. The whole family needs you. We'd never hurt you. Please read my mind! See that it's me. It's not a trick. I'll stand here with you forever if I have to, and if you have to hurt me to prove it, then so be it. But know this: I'll love you no matter what. _

The words ended, replaced by a collage of images of the two of us together: our first kiss, our wedding day, the first time we held Renesmee together, our first night in the cottage. It was Heaven, after more than a year of Hell, and I closed my eyes and savored it.

In that instant, I was slammed against the wall, and she was torn from my arms. My eyes flew open, and I roared at Jasper, Emmett and Carlisle as they once again pinned me in place. I fought like a wild animal, trying to get back to her. I needed to see it again. It was imperative that I hold _her_ again, but I couldn't quite break free. I heard Bella screaming for them to stop, but Jacob struggled to keep her away. He was keeping us apart, and with a flash of memory, I realized that it wasn't the first time. Oh God, could this be real?

"Bella!" I rasped out in agony and need, and everything went still. Except for her. Bella tore herself free and ran forward to grab my hand again through the mass of bodies that were restraining me.

I was balanced on the edge of a knife. Bella was holding my hand, but was it really her or another phantasm, courtesy of the monster? I had let myself hope, and that had long been the slippery slope leading back to nightmares and madness. But she was still here. My family remained. The seconds continued to tick by and nothing changed.

I wanted to bask in the light of this long forgotten emotion, but it terrified me. I had been so long in the darkness, and painful experience had taught me to fear stepping into the light. I feared the horror that I knew waited to snatch me up if I let my guard down, even for a moment. I began to withdraw, shutting down, welcoming the darkness, but held onto the hand clutching mine with all my might.

"Edward?" Jasper gasped.

"Jasper, what is it?" Bella asked.

Jasper was silent for a moment. "I felt hope for just a second, but then it vanished as though it never existed. It was almost like he consciously crushed it, like he refuses to believe this is real."

I heard Bella's voice. "Okay, Alice, enough is enough. I'm tired of the stalling. I need to know what happened."

My gift had returned full force, and as Alice stood frozen, I watched a series of horrific images flash through her thoughts. She had seen everything that I had experienced…2the shame, the guilt, the murder, the starvation, and she had kept it to herself for a year. Now another vision flashed through her mind, of the carnage that would ensue once she finally revealed the details of my captivity.

"Edward," Alice whispered, "I'm sorry."

Then she told them.

~DS~

The living room was in a shambles.

Bella was pinned to the floor by Rosalie and Esme as she alternately snarled in rage and wept in tearless sobs. She had held my hand through it all, restraining herself in stony silence as Alice laid it all out. Externally calm, the rage flowing off of Bella had been palpable, especially through Jasper's senses.

When Alice finally stopped speaking, Bella had erupted like a volcano. She had ripped her hand from my grasp and literally gone berserk. Wordless shrieks of rage and vile threats against Aro and the Volturi accompanied a whirlwind of physical violence. There were several gaping holes in the walls, and a floor-to-ceiling window had been shattered when Bella threw a couch through it.

Through it all, I had slumped in the grasp of my father and brothers. They were hearing it for the first time, but I had lived it. Alice's visions were painful to watch, but nothing compared to having actually experienced it.

Jacob had vanished into the woods once Alice had finished. He hadn't even bothered with the steps, leaping off the porch and phasing in mid-air, striving to drown his rage and grief in the blinding instincts of a running wolf. There was no telling when he would be back.

Jasper was snarling under his breath as he absorbed the emotions of the room. Everyone was enraged, even Carlisle. Alice sat in one of the chairs with her knees tucked up to her chest, silent and wounded after finally divesting herself of the horrible secret she had kept for so long. Jasper longed to go to her and comfort her, but he knew that his duty was here, protecting his family.

Emmett was seething. He had always prided himself on his strength and his role as the defender of this family. Seeing me in my current state and hearing what I had gone through was like a knife in his heart. As far as he was concerned, he had failed us all, and wanted nothing more than to dash into the forest and demolish every tree and boulder he could lay his hands on. Rosalie's ire matched Emmet's in every way, and she pictured her teeth slashing at Aro's throat even as she worked to restrain Bella.

The thoughts of Carlisle and Esme, normally the embodiment of love and compassion, were almost unrecognizable. Their minds were filled with outrage and righteous indignation with the realization of what had been done to me, their son.

Only Bella's thoughts remained closed to me. That was both entirely as it should be and completely unacceptable. Even pinned to the wall, the monster was focused not on the immediate threat of my captors, but on Bella's prone form as she alternated been thrashing rage and catatonic grief. I struggled with him for control as he reached out to her, but he resisted me as always.

His outlook was so simple, almost pure instinct. He had no regret for anything that he had done. To him, it was about survival, plain and simple. His mate was in pain and needed comforting, and that was all he knew. I receded again into the shadows between the painfully bright reality and the darkness of the nightmares and watched as he held his hand out with a growl, his eyes locked on Bella.

"Bella…" Carlisle said tentatively

If she heard him, she gave no response, still wrapped in agony on the floor.

"Bella, come here. He wants you," Jasper said. "I think it'll be alright."

Slowly, she raised her head from the ground and looked up at us. I could see my face reflected in her eyes, expressing a combination of protectiveness and fierce watchfulness.

Esme and Rosalie released her as she stood up. With the utmost care, she made her way across the room, reaching out to touch the outstretched hand. Still growling, he pulled her closer into a protective embrace. Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper relaxed their grip and cautiously moved away as the growl shifted into a comforting purr. Bella collapsed into the embrace and began to sob with relief as she buried her face in our chest.

The monster buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply, radiating utter contentment.

I had to know.

All this time, I had resisted and fought for control. This time, I tried a different tack. He was so certain of whom he held in his arms, but I couldn't be certain until I asked.

I drew in another intoxicating breath filled with her scent, and as I exhaled, I whispered a simple question.

"Are you real?"

I heard my family's sudden gasps as Bella stiffened in my arms. She raised her head and looked up at me, enraptured.

"Yes. I'm real," Bella whispered back. "We're all real. I know it's hard to believe, but it's over. You're here with us, and you're safe, and I will never let them touch you again."

I sighed out a breath, and let myself fade back into the shadows. I had existed there too long to be comfortable in the light. I couldn't stay. I would let the monster hold sway for now, but perhaps the light was not as dangerous as I thought.

"Jasper, what just happened?" Emmett asked.

"Edward came back," Jasper said thoughtfully. "He's gone again, but for just a couple seconds, he was back."

"What about the rest of it?" Rosalie asked. "When we first got him back, he was ready to attack Bella on sight, but now he's changed completely."

It was Carlisle who answered this time. "As I mentioned on the plane, our instinctive side is very powerful, especially with regards to food, mates and personal survival. I think the starvation and the mental torture reduced him to madness, and he was ready to attack anything on sight. On top of that, for whatever reason, Bella incited powerful emotive reactions in both halves of his psyche. Now that he's been fed and he's home safe, the 'monster' is becoming more rational. Edward's human self may be hiding from reality, but the vampire self recognizes his mate and instinctively wants to protect her."

"But why did he want to attack her at first?" Rosalie pressed.

Carlisle sighed. "I don't think we can know that until we can get Edward to respond to us. Right now, though, I think the monster may actually be the key to getting him to open up. Edward's question indicates that he's aware of what's going on around him; he's just choosing not to interact with it. We need to get him involved in our lives, let him see that this is real and not some hallucination. It may be the only way to reach him."

Alice had been watching from her curled up position in the chair. Now her eyes went blank with the characteristic blank stare of a vision. I watched it through her thoughts.

_Me, in the forest, crouched forward aggressively, my nostrils flaring as I catch the scent of prey, then I spring forward._

_Bella and I, on the couch. I am sitting, while she lies stretched out, with her head on my lap. She is reading to me; I am staring at her, mesmerized._

_Me, sitting at the piano, feathering lightly over the keys, not playing, just feeling. Bella stands behind me, her hands on my shoulders._

_Bella and I, in our meadow, lying on the grass in each other's arms, eyes locked onto each other. We are speaking, but the vision is silent and the words cannot be heard. There is something different about my face…_

"It'll work," Alice finally pronounced. "I can't say how long it will take, though. And he won't be the same Edward; with what he's been through, a change is inevitable."

They all considered that for a moment.

Predictably, it was Emmett who broke the silence. "So, when do we start? I say we take him hunting. If he's got the energy to pin Bella and hold her hostage, I bet he's ready to go out and take down some mountain lion."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Jasper asked. "If he's running on pure instinct, we won't be able to stop him if he catches a human scent."

"We'll just take him up into the wilderness areas and make sure we scout it out in advance," Emmett responded. Then his smile turned mischievous. "Besides, what are you worried about, Dr. Phil? It'll be just like babysitting a newborn, but without the strength."

Jasper glowered at his brother for a moment before turning to Alice. "Want to scout for us?"

She stayed motionless in the chair as her eyes went blank for a moment. "All clear. You won't run into anyone, but I'll come along anyways." She picked herself up out of the chair and bounced over to him with a smile. I could sense Jasper's relief; apparently this side of Alice had been missing for a long time.

"I'll come, too," said Esme. "It'll be nice to see him hunt again."

"We'll all come," Rosalie chimed in. "We've been apart too long to separate again over a little hunting trip."

The familiarity was settling in. The monster was still a little wary, instinctively reacting to the presence of other vampires and constantly analyzing them for potential threats. Underneath it all, however, there was a sense of peace and familiarity, as though we belonged.

Bella pulled out of the embrace and took us by the hand. She did not pull me towards the door, but her intent was obvious.

"Come on, Edward. Let's go hunt," she said with a hopeful smile.

The monster moved towards her and she pulled away, guiding him out the back door as the rest of the family followed.

He took one step outside and was frozen in awe.

The sun had come out through the clouds, granting the rainy, mossy forest a rare blessing of light. The sun shone in rays through the mist and the trees and fell on our gathered family. Our skin sparkled under the sun's rays.

I had been stuck in a cell deep underground for over a year. Even during my rescue, I had been too dazed and weak to take in my surroundings. This was the first time I had truly seen the sky and the sun since the day I had been taken, over a year ago.

My family waited around me as I stood frozen, simply breathing in the gloriously familiar air of home. Bella approached me again and curled up into my side. The monster purred in contentment.

I lost track of how long we stood there, just staring into the sky. Finally, the persistent clouds of the Olympic Peninsula returned, concealing the sun once more.

"Come on, bro," Emmett teased as he punched me in the shoulder, "aren't you hungry?"

The monster growled in return, but there was no rancor, only a sense of familiar exasperation.

Bella pulled away again, and this time, the smile on her face was impish.

"Catch me if you can," she giggled as she darted into the woods.

The monster lunged after her, chasing her into the woods with gleeful abandon as our family followed behind. As he ran, I let loose and let myself fly with him.

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><p><strong>I was so honored to have duskwatcher2153 contact me regarding this story. She started out as a beta for it, but with the delay in posting, Real Life has her doing other things. It was great to hear from her though. Show your appreciation for her helping make this story even better by reading and reviewing her completed Twilight fic, A Litany At Dusk.<strong>

**Would love to know what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Two of my stories have been nominated over at the Shimmer Awards – Best Quickie Award (best one-shot) Modus Operandi, my entry into the New Moon round at The Canon Tour (it is my version of James' story), and Forever, an entry for the Fandom Fights the Floods (it is an all human story with a theme that is near and dear to my heart). Unfortunately, they are up against each other and someone I consider a friend…Sigh. Please go over and read the stories up for vote on the Shimmers – there are some great ones.**

**http:/shimmerawards(dot)blogspot(dot)com**

**Hope you like!**

* * *

><p>The monster followed Bella through the woods, winding through the thick foliage. Even though I was not in control at the moment, I could reap the benefits of his decisions and the events around me. My mind observed and reveled in this taste of freedom, denied for so long. The stretch of the muscles in our legs was just short of sensual after the long months of captivity. The feel of the wind brushing through my hair and across my skin seemed to slowly strip the many layers of insulation I'd placed between me, the monster, and this supposed real world…I still wasn't certain that this wasn't just a hallucination, but it was clear that I was closer to the surface of the real world that I had inhabited before my imprisonment than ever. It still seemed surreal to me, and my mind wondered if I was still being put through a form of torture by Aro. I would not put it past the Volturi leader. For now, I would just enjoy this moment. As the mossy ground flew under my feet, the world seemed to get just a little bit brighter with each step. This had always been my favorite physical activity, well, as least it was before I was able to make love with the woman tantalizing us. These memories tantalized and pulled at my being.<p>

Not too far away, Esme's laughter rang out, and Carlisle's corresponding chuckle softly wove through the greenery around us. Whispers of fingers brushing across skin were audible, and a vision of the two in a heated embrace filtered through my mind. Emmett teased Rosalie not too far to our east. She called him a 'big oaf' in reaction to his playfulness, and his booming laughter followed. Alice, my favorite sibling, jumped on her Jasper's back as he passed under the tree she perched in. Her tinkling laughter echoed through the trees as he staggered momentarily under her attack before resuming his path near us.

Two voices were missing from this tantalizingly, longingly familiar possible reality, I realized. My daughter and her imprint.

Nessie?

I couldn't think of her now. The terrifying image swam under my eyelids when I closed them involuntarily at the thought of her. Blood splattered copper hair, glazed over brown eyes…

_GO AWAY!_ I snarled at the evil image as I came to a halt.

Recapturing my attention, Bella took to a thick, stout tree just ahead of the monster, scrambling upward lightly into the thick branches. He followed without a second thought, reaching out and grabbing her leg, stopping her flight. Within a breath, he caged her, pressing his body against hers to the tree. Bella smiled softly at him, running her fingertips across his cheekbones and then placing them against his lips.

"Breathe deeply for me, Edward."

The monster complied and suddenly our throat flared. It burned with need. The smell was intoxicating. It was Bella's scent mixed with a warm and tangy aroma, nearly human-like; not quite. Something I hadn't experienced in such a long time…a mountain lion. The monster was conflicted. Bella's body rested between him and the tree, but the sound of the gurgling heart was enticing. _Thump, thump. Thump, thump_. The Tell-Tale heart, coming from the branches just a few trees over. Bella looked upward towards the distant beast.

"Edward, go hunt. I'll follow."

Seeing his hesitation, his unwillingness to give her up, she added, "I promise."

The sound of the animal shifting the limbs of the tree brought the thirst into focus, and fire burned in our throat. Food first, mating later…his priorities were straight. The monster flexed his fingers into the bark of the Sitka tree and vaulted quickly upward. Pine boughs brushed across our face, and the smell of the crushed needles filled the air as he jumped across a small opening to the tree the animal currently occupied. With some degree of finesse, the cat was tackled and they began falling. Sinking his teeth into the furious animal's neck as they descended, the warm liquid poured down our parched throat, branches hitting our bodies as we fell. The monster twisted just before hitting the forest floor so that the lion's body landed on top, our back to the springy ground, but he continued to enjoy the pumping of its heart until the very end.

The brush of the fur against our skin awakened long dead feelings…we'd done this before. No, correct that…I'd done this before. For a moment, I grappled as to whether to push against the monster in me; he flexed back, determined to remain in control. He had plans for Bella and her giggling roused his interest; the dead lion was quickly thrown away. She was leaning against a tree, another one clamped in her arms.

"It's mating season," she shrugged her shoulders elegantly, in explanation of the presence of two cats, as she slowly made her way toward him. Mating season indeed…the monster wanted the creature coming at us tantalizingly swishing her hips. Uncertain about the reality of what was occurring, I scurried back mentally from the possibility.

The lion screamed in frantic fury attempting to escape both her and the monster, and the memory of my Bella's first hunt flitted through my mind. It was crystal clear, this scene that forced its way into my mind. The subtle swing of her hips enticed me before she finally stopped in front of the monster…so like when Bella had stalked me after her first kill, and this creature's clothes weren't in much better shape. The lion couldn't harm this demon, but the clothes were a different matter.

She knelt, holding the lion out to him. "For you, the first must have only touched your hunger."

She appeared almost shy for the moment. To him, it was a sign that his mate was interested. To me…a warning; what was she hiding? The dark crescents of her lashes made fans against her cheeks, covering her incomparable eyes. The monster traced the crest of her cheekbone, softly smoothing across her skin. She gasped at the electricity that ran between us and leaned slightly into his hand. The cat struggled between them, and she withdrew slightly, motioning with her hands toward the animal.

"Edward, please eat. "

She sensed his hesitancy. "I'll be fine. I want you to enjoy this. You deserve it." Her head quirked slightly, turning to our east. "The deer your meal was chasing are just ahead. I will have them instead of this."

She rose to go, and instinctively the monster grabbed her hand, unwilling to allow her out of his sight. His primal being did not want to lose her. She smiled softly down as their tangled fingers. "I'll stay with you then, and we can chase them down afterwards."

The tension increased as we bit neatly and deeply into the neck where the big cat's major artery ran; the hunger was slowly sated by the rich blood that flowed through our lips into the emaciated body that housed the monster and me. Strength was returning as our body began to fill in with the volume of blood, but it would still take some time for it to resemble the Edward that had been taken.

Bella, if this really was reality and she was my wife, not the clever monster that my tortured consciousness perceived, must feel revulsion as she looked upon us. So it was with disbelief that when the monster rose I noticed that Bella's eyes were black, and it wasn't in response to hunger. Her arousal infused the air between us. The smell of his mate roused fires long ignored and desire rippled through us.

Unwilling to lose the illusion, the panic that she would disappear ate at me. I wanted to scream at him. "Stop! This isn't real, and once you touch her the delusion will fade. Don't ruin it."

The monster exerted his control. His only thought: "_Mine_!"

We stood stock still as I scrambled, attempting to assert control. We grappled, and while the internal battle raged, Bella took matters in her own hands. She stepped closer to us. We both froze when she brought her mouth to within centimeters of our chest, her lips lifting in a low snarl, pulling great puffs of air in to savor our scent. She moaned in need, and the monster roared in primal response. Desire sunk its talons into me, and I was lost, hopeless to the wave of longing and deep, long-delayed need that ran through me, hopeless to fight the monster. All fear of losing the illusion was covered by a blanket of primal necessity. I needed to feel Bella wrapped around me. It was as critical for my survival as the blood had been. The monster thought of the moment in a purely physical manner. Mate. Sex. It was that simple for him.

He smiled in exultation, his hands reaching for her. But in one moment of understanding, he stopped them just before grabbing her hips. Even the monster recognized the need for his mate's permission. Bella's eyes widened perceptibly, and she shuddered realizing what he was asking. Her lips were immediately pressed to ours. From deep inside our chest, growls of pleasure erupted. Bella's lips. Dear God, this illusion was perfect. They were as my memories remembered perfectly, soft and supple and molding directly into mine. Hot desire flashed through our body at that sensation.

When she opened her lips and her breath wafted in the air, the monster cinched our hands around her hips. He was in control this time. I gave in and watched as he took over.

I was the voyeur, as he tore her clothes brutally, fabrics tearing and buttons popping, from her body and took her to the ground.

Her hands skimmed across the skin covering the protruding bones of this body. My eyes dispassionately looked at my wasted body. It was a pathetic specimen at this point, yet she acted as if it was a great privilege to touch it, as if it had been so long since she felt our body, let alone intimately. The monster wasted little time; this was an event of mating, not love. My memory held similar scenes from very early in my delusions of marriage, when the need had been so great to not allow for finesse. It had been too long for it to be long and gentle. The creature's mate responded in kind, savagely taking her.

Deep satisfaction ran through me when she screamed my name. Not the Monster's, mine!

The power of our release robbed him and me of strength for the faintest of moments. But before the monster could rise, I shoved him roughly aside. I was in control now, gently pushing her tangled hair off her brow, enjoying the simple pleasure of touching her skin. The act of brushing my fingertips across her eyebrow elicited a simple but telling reaction from her. Her eyes popped open, and she gazed into my eyes in hope.

"Edward?"

It was gently said, as if she was afraid to assume too much, or that her observation would cause me to run scurrying like an insect from the light. I felt my lips pull into a soft smile. It felt foreign, as if the muscles were weak from lack of use, but it was enough, and she joined our lips softly again, sobbing in reaction.

As my hands skimmed across the perfection of her skin, I was forced to finally admit to myself…this was real. The feel of her beneath me, the smooth silk of her, the moment I'd longed for so long during my imprisonment…I was finally, really and truly, with Bella. I froze in indecision. Too long I'd hidden to protect myself. The Monster shoved at me, but I refused to give up. Unable to find my voice, I attempted to tell her just how much I loved her without words…gently stroking the fingertips of one hand over the skin of her face in a worshipful manner as I kept the other arm and hand around her body.

"I love you," she whispered repeatedly against my skin as she stroked my naked back.

I heard Alice approach not too far away, and wanted to laugh, a strange premise indeed, when she placed a pile of clothes for both of us on the ground and ran back toward the house. I could see that she grinned the whole time as she returned to meet Jasper, her mind open to me. She was the bright sun incarnate. The being that I was wanted to hang onto that brightness.

When my energy finally began to fail, the monster regained control. Bella must have sensed what was occurring as she sensed the shift in my eyes and body, and she frantically grabbed my face, her eyes peering deeply into mine.

"Edward, I love you. Please don't stay away so long this time. I miss you. I'll be waiting."

Receding into the soft warm place, I began to relish the new memories we'd just created. The demands of the gradually healing body and our pleasurable activities had consumed the blood we'd taken in, and the monster recognized hunger again. He led Bella to the clothes that Alice had provided, dressing her roughly as he huffed in her scent, sniffing at her neck, hair, and face like a wild animal. Finally, he pulled her toward the smells of deer on the wind.

~DS~

The white house appeared almost ghostly in the thick forest. Glutted with the blood of two deer that he'd drained; the monster stopped, pulling Bella to a standstill as well from their linked hands. He was suddenly apprehensive about walking into the structure. The scent of Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper were strong, in addition to the wet dog smell that permeated the area. The acrid animal edge of the smell disturbed the monster greatly. Cocking his head, it was as if he was assessing the threat to him and his mate. Emmett's shove to his shoulder didn't help as the huge vampire ran by and playfully smacked him.

The monster growled sharply.

_Oh c'mon Edward, you remember this…you can do it. Snap out of it._ Emmett's thoughts came clearly.

Bella hissed at him in what I perceived was irritation and exasperation. But then, the monster's attention was captured as a phone rang inside the home and Carlisle answered.

"Carlisle, is Edward back?" A deep, masculine voice came across the line. I recognized him as Jacob; the monster…well, to him Jacob was the beast that stank and was a danger to everyone.

"Jacob, no, not yet. We just took him hunting, and the blood and…" he paused attempting to say it right "…activity has helped immensely." That sounded just like my father, to be so polite about what the monster had done to Bella. It wasn't as if they didn't know, the forest had echoed with the reverberations of the noises of him mating with her. Fire twitched across my consciousness, as it had then…I didn't like that he'd touched her. Forget that we shared the same body, she was _**my**_ wife. _**My**_ mate.

"NO! She doesn't need to come just now," Carlisle whispered harshly, and I realized that I'd tuned out his words while I'd been raging.

What was he speaking of? Then the answer came clearly across the line.

"I need to see him!" It was a clear child's voice.

"Renesmee, your father isn't ready," Carlisle attempted to convince her, his voice calm and comforting as only he could do.

Shoving at the monster, I surprised him, taking control. I picked up Bella and ran into the house wanting to get near her. She was alive! Not dead! I hadn't dared hope.

Carlisle's eyes were wide when I burst through the door and blurred to his side, lowering Bella beside me. Reaching out for the phone was a mistake, because Jasper leveled me, bringing me to the floor. He'd thought I was going to strike Carlisle. The monster latched onto me as I howled in fury. Just wanting to hear her voice, I fought him, and through my gift, I saw through the eyes of each of the family caging my struggling body.

"Daddy!" Nessie's voice screaming voice came across the line, then there was silence.

"Jasper?" Carlisle snarled out, holding the forgotten phone out from him. He was asking the empath to assess the situation.

The monster snarled at the scarred vampire who knelt down, but Jasper didn't flinch. Perhaps it was because he sensed me struggling against the monster. His golden eyes gazed into my orange-tinged red eyes as he spoke calmly but directly to me. "Edward, try as hard as you can. You're getting stronger. I promise this is for real. You won't be starved or tortured."

Alice whimpered beside him, fully aware, through her own gift, of the struggle for my mind to regain mastery over the monster that presently dominated my being. I felt Jasper filing me with a sense of calm as he kept me down on the floor.

I wanted to believe him, that the child's voice I'd just heard was really Nessie's, that I was really home, as I desired, and that all would be well. My path became clear…I should allow him to focus on feeding and restoring our energy, and I should accept this reality.

"YES!" Alice screamed falling to her knees. Visions of Bella, Nessie, and me flowed through her mind…laughing, running through the woods, feeding, watching my precious daughter grow to maturity…Jacob's broad happy face.

Yes, let him restore this emaciated shell…then…then I would force him away, destroy him.

"NO!" her anguished wail then broke over us as the happy visions turned bloody and horrific.

Scared by the confusion as to why ridding myself of the monster would produce such results, I stopped fighting, retreating fully into my psyche. Confused as well by Alice's reaction the monster pushed from the floor, grabbing Bella and placing her behind him before backing into the wall and dropping into a defensive crouch.

"Edward, you can't," Alice said quickly. Ignoring the snarling of the monster and Jasper's direction, she crawled across the floor toward us. "You are him, and he is you. Neither of you can be separate; you are both necessary to the whole."

This time it was me snarling at her as the monster laughed in delight. NO! I'd lived with him too long, he needed to be eliminated so that I could be the man that Bella deserved, the father my daughter needed, the son that could please Carlisle. He taunted me, grabbing Bella's hand, huffing at it to assert that she was his, and then bringing her delicate wrist to his mouth, nibbling at her skin in a pacifying nature…showing me who was in control. Purring ripped out of his chest when Bella's fingertips ran across his scalp, teasing the clean locks of hair.

Carlisle finally placed the now noisy phone down on the hook and walked softly over. He looked calmly but determinedly into my eyes.

"Son, just rest and we'll figure it all out. We have time, there is no hurry." He looked around at the others of the family before returning his gaze to me. "Perhaps you and Bella might like to go up to your room and rest. You can take a nice hot shower now that you won't need us…" he glanced to Bella. He was thinking that she could help.

The monster took another deep huff of breath at her wrist, smelling her unique scent. He wasn't averse to getting away from the family. Bella made the decision, pulling at his hand, and beginning to lead him toward the stairs.

"We'll put some music on and lay down. I'd like to tell you about Renesmee…how she's changed over the past year; so much so, that you almost won't recognize her," my mate murmured in a stream of words as we stepped upward toward the upper floors. "I have some pictures in our room that I'll show you. She's so much like you that it's scary. Her gift; she's refined it more, but we make her talk instead of just showing us. Well I do; Jake lets her get by with it. I know she is dying to see you, but we want to be sure you are able to handle it first. Does that make sense?"

She kept up the idle chatter while we continued up the stairs. Walking into my old room was surreal. Every piece that I remembered was in place, from the bed to the music collections to the various pieces of memorabilia and antiques that I had collected in the past ten decades. Aro could have recreated the space immaculately from my memories, but the rational part of my mind realized that he wouldn't have been able to lace Bella's human scent in here, or Nessie's. My mind began to slowly accept what my caresses of Bella had hinted at before…that this was perhaps our true reality, that it was not a part of some depraved, twisted scheme concocted by Aro to further break me.

I was home.

Even though it seemed too good to be true, I knew it then, deep within me. The woman leading us around was my wife, the individuals downstairs were my family, and I needed to focus on getting stronger so that I could take over and control the monster within me. At least then, I would have the ability to figure out why Alice had fallen apart when I thought of destroying him.

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><p><strong>Would love to know what you think?<strong>

**A million thanks to my beta, ColdOnePaul. This wouldn't be half as good without you. I really appreciate your expertise!**

**To crmcneill, hope this meets your specifications! HA!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Two of my stories have been nominated over at the Shimmer Awards – Best Quickie Award (best one-shot) Modus Operandi, my entry into the New Moon round at The Canon Tour (it is my version of James' story), and Forever, an entry for the Fandom Fights the Floods (it is an all human story with a theme that is near and dear to my heart). Unfortunately, they are up against each other and someone I consider a friend…Sigh. Please go over and read the stories up for vote on the Shimmers – there are some great ones.**

**http:/shimmeraward(dot)blogspot(dot)com/**

**Again, many thanks to Gleena for allowing this story to be based on a premise from Acts of Aggression.**

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><p>"This was at Jake's eighteenth birthday party," Bella said turning the photo album page.<p>

She'd insisted on fluffing the pillows of the bed against the headboard, and then led us over to it, indicating that we should climb up. As soon as the monster obeyed her, Bella had taken the album from the shelf and then moved between his legs, leaning her back up against his chest. It was an extremely vulnerable position…putting her back to him, allowing such free access to her neck. It also effectively pinned him between the scent of her as a vampire and the scent of her as a human…which billowed out in delicious waves from the pillows behind us. I wondered if she'd planned it…as a way to saturate us with her presence. I grinned from my hiding place; my mate was an incredibly astute and conniving woman.

"Jake didn't want to celebrate without you here, but we insisted," she said, the grief in her voice apparent.

Leaning forward at the sound of her stress, he pulled deep breaths of her scent in, actually lifting the strands of her hair slightly. The smell of our mating was heady, and it made him growl slightly, possessively. Bella hesitated, her finger just above something she was going to point out. She, in turn, pushed back into him subtly, signifying that she was aware of his interest and submissive to his every desire. The movement pleased him, causing him to twine her long hair around one of his fingers, almost like a leash of some short. Bella didn't fight his action, remaining chained to him while she softly put her finger down on the photograph.

"Nessie insisted on a big cake and on feeding Jake the first bite."

Now I was the one snarling, thinking it was a little too "intimate" to be occurring between them just yet. My reaction won out over the beast and the sound that came out was low and menacing. Bella turned around to smile at me. She'd known I wouldn't like that and had offered up the information to see if I was listening. The monster didn't know Nessie like I did, love her like I did. The response was of a man protecting his daughter, and Bella knew it. Her smile was one of victory.

"Don't worry, Edward. She took care of it."

She held the book up so that the monster focused on the picture. Nessie had smashed the cake into Jacob's face. The picture was hilarious…Jacob standing at over six and a half foot tall, bending down to a beautiful child, his face full of icing. But what held my attention was the miracle in front of him.

It couldn't be!

While the monster grabbed Bella's arm, nibbling at her wrist in a way to soothe his confusion and agitation, I soaked in the picture of my daughter. She'd grown tremendously while I'd been gone. Gone was the toddler…the one I'd imagined us feeding off of. Instead, she was a beautiful little girl approximately the size of a human five year old, but still more mature, her features a little longer, more adult-like. Her eyes, Bella's eyes, gazed at her imprint in glee, while the sun blazed off copper colored ringlets that hung half way down her back. She glowed! Aro had gotten it wrong in the victim he'd given us…he hadn't known just how fast she would grow! Like a chain being snapped off me, I felt something give way as I shrugged off the vision that had haunted me. Flexing with the new found freedom, I received a warning from the beast as he pressed his teeth to Bella's skin.

HA! He wouldn't hurt her any more than I would; he'd given himself away…in his bonding to her. I pushed against him and moved my hand to trace Nessie's face.

Bella's head turned slightly, and I could see the small smile curving her lips. "Beautiful, isn't she?"

_YES! _ My thought battled with his control and the interaction came out as a grunt.

Bella turned more fully to allow her eyes to flow over the monster's face. "She looks just like you, just a more feminine version."

"NAH! She looks _exactly_ like Edward…especially when he used to wear dresses," Emmett teased from somewhere in the house.

"You're wrong, Emmett. It was during the time he was into the whole poetry scene, you know in the 60's when it was cool to be effeminate," Jasper rebutted.

The monster growled at the invasion of masculine voices, sensing danger in being so close to other male vampires, but my reaction was entirely different - I snickered inside. Those were definitely my brothers; Aro's versions had lacked this camaraderie…coldly and cruelly mocking me, not in the familiar teasing way that Jasper and Emmett were now doing. In reaction to his feral instincts about their presence, the monster moved Bella, putting his back to the door and curling her into us in a spooning fashion. Instead of residing in her lap, the book now lay on the bedspread in front of us, and Bella was fitted to us like a second skin.

It was an interesting position, and flashes of erotic images enticed me…of us starting this way to end up with her on all fours and me taking her from behind. The groan that whistled out of us was all mine this time, and Bella recognized it.

"Edward…" she said seductively, flexing against me.

The monster floundered to control me, but I'd lain in wait.

"Bella," I groaned, and she turned to capture my lips.

Incredible desire seized me at the taste of her, and for a moment I formed our lips to one another, but I'd lost focus and found myself thrown back into the cage as the monster asserted himself, turning the kiss feral. Bella slumped in his arms, again taking a submissive stance. The monster was pleased with her reaction and tempered the kiss to lunge to her throat, placing his teeth there as if in warning or to remind her that he was the dominant. His instincts were animalistic…controlling his mate and her actions.

Frankly, I was surprised Bella didn't fight him. When he released her, I was surprised to find her black eyed and panting below us. The monster raised his lips slightly, baring his teeth at her before sniffing again and running the tip of his nose along her collarbone, taking a swipe at her skin with his tongue here and there. The taste was amazing.

Finally satisfied that he "had her under control," he turned her back toward the book, dropping her hand onto the page. Stunned, it took Bella a few seconds to recover before she began to talk about the pictures. I watched as she told him about the parties and family events, including Nessie's and her birthday party. I wanted to weep when I saw the vacant look in Bella's eyes in the pictures.

As if she'd sensed my mood, she said softly, "I was dead without you."

The monster cuddled her a little…a surprising show of affection at her tone. But it really wasn't too hard to imagine, animals had all the instincts of mating. Lions were known to groom their lionesses, showing their esteem. The love licks he'd just given her were examples. But I'd done that before as well, loving the taste of her. It wasn't as if it was a possessive thing… Or had my actions come off that way to her? The thought confused me for a moment. My behavior _**could not**__ be _equated with his. I wanted to grab my hair in anxiety at the notion.

"Eleazar, I would appreciate your expertise, and of course, you are all welcome. I want your advice on how to deal with him and Aro as well. This cannot go uncontested."

Carlisle's voice came from another part of the house, but it roused my attention away from the warm, soft body of my wife. While I soaked in the information she imparted to the monster, I listened as well to my father. The anger in his voice was something I'd rarely heard during my almost one hundred year tenure with him. His unspoken thoughts were more astounding. Carlisle was furious. Aro had roused the monster in Carlisle, I thought…and then skittered back.

Carlisle did not - _could_ not - possess a monster!

Aro had roused the anger that lay dormant in Carlisle. Yes, that was much better.

But that there was anger in Carlisle to rouse was fascinating. This wasn't the general run of the mill fatherly annoyance at Jasper, Emmett, or me for damaging furniture. It wasn't his angst at me for having tortured him and Esme during my absence so many years ago. This was all out fury. The image of me on the floor of the room in Volterra kept running through his mind, only slightly ahead of my naked skeletal body as they'd showered me, my lips barely moving at my pathetic attempts to growl.

The sight gave me pause, as already I was so much better.

"Eleazar, my friend, prepare yourself and our cousins. Edward…he isn't the man he was…he's trying, but he has a long way to go. I don't want anyone to be too shocked."

Even from the distance, I could hear our friend's response. He gasped a little, totally taken back by the tone of Carlisle's voice, which was agonized. "Carlisle, do you intend to formally challenge the Volturi?"

Carlisle paused, but then his answer stunned me. "I plan to do something. However, what that may or may not be will depend on the rest of my family's decisions, and those of you and your family, and our friends." I heard the thoughts within the house, other than the woman who lay against me. Emmett's and Jasper's were of course the loudest and most eager, but my mother and sisters were right behind them. Carlisle continued unaware that he already had their support. "I plan to take a picture of Edward, if he allows. Already he looks better just from the two feedings, but he has been tortured, Eleazar. His condition…it is horrific. The Volturi had no plans of abiding by their decrees of peace between us. They intended to allow him to starve to death, if that is even possible. Aro, I am quite certain, found it an intriguing experiment. I plan to let the vampire world know."

"I will need to speak with Carmen, but withstanding her objection, you have my support, my friend. We will be there within the day."

Esme moved to wrap her arms around my father, giving him comfort when he disconnected the line. Through his thoughts, I saw her expression, the astonishment of what she'd just heard, the undying support and love, and even the surge of desire she felt seeing him so angry…and feral.

"Esme, I'm sorr.."

She stopped his words by placing her fingers to his lips. "Carlisle, they will just keep coming, unless something is done. We gave peace an earnest effort in the hopes that they would abide by their public declarations." She laid her cheek to his chest, wrapping her arms around him. How many times had I seen them comfort one another like this in the past? "We could sit here and wait for their next move, or we can prepare and perhaps even go on the offensive. Frankly, I prefer the idea of having a little control over it all."

He squeezed her in affection before softly kissing her lips. "Would you like to go visit our son with me?"

She smiled brilliantly. "I thought you'd never ask."

The soft tread of their feet against the plush carpet alerted the monster, and before they even made it half way down the hallway to my room, his loud growls and snarls of warning permeated the air. I heard Carlisle's steps falter before his words came softly.

"Edward, I would like to come in."

The monster grabbed Bella and leapt to a corner in the room. Placing her behind him, he crouched as in defense against Carlisle.

Idiot!

_Then perhaps it is time to exert a little control?_ The thought ran quickly through my mind.

"May we come in?" Esme asked softly.

Her gentle voice was so connected with warmth and acceptance in my memory, that even he couldn't battle the general sense of affection that emanated from her. To add to the moment, Bella threaded her fingers through our hair, tugging softly. Turning, he rubbed our cheek against her thigh before rising fully. I could feel Bella put her cheek against our back, as he caged her.

"Edward, let them come in," she pleaded.

He stepped forward and then turned slightly, moving back and forth in a short pathway…restlessly pacing in front of her like a caged lion. Bella finally had enough and stepped in front of him. Her fingers went to his chin.

"Edward, it is your mother and father. Stop!" she huffed.

The smell of the sweet scent of her breath washed over us… But he was lost when she laced their fingers and brought his wrist to her mouth, nibbling softly. She was talking to the monster in a way he could connect with. Fascinated with the play of her lips against his skin, I used his distraction to my advantage.

"…come in..." I forced out.

He spun Bella back behind us as Carlisle and Esme entered softly. Jasper ghosted to just outside the door, and suddenly, a sense of calm infiltrated the room.

Carlisle smiled at seeing the photo album out on the bed, and he acted as if it was totally normal to walk into my room without a care. Actually, it had always been that way before… The monster watched him warily and something struck me; the monster felt deferential to Carlisle, as a weaker male lion to the Alpha of the pride. In fact, in recognition of Carlisle's status the monster raised his hand to rub along his neck, brushing over where Carlisle had bitten me to begin the change…recognizing his creator. A quick sniff of the air brought the unique scent of Carlisle, adding to the acknowledgment. For in fact, my father's venom was the basis of the viscous fluid that ran through me…and by extension, through Bella as well.

When Carlisle turned to us, the monster hunched a little showing his deference. My father looked puzzled at the behavior, but he was a brilliant man and used the moment to come forward, stopping at the end of the bed, just a few feet away from where we stood. Esme floated to his side, linking her arm through his. She smiled endearingly at us, and the monster relaxed even further under the influence of her and Jasper's calm.

"Son, you heard me speaking with Eleazar. The Denali coven will be coming to join us. We need to gather our friends again, to discuss what has occurred, and what we need to consider. Would you be willing to allow me to take some pictures for us to utilize? I want the others to witness what the cowards did." His tone was adamant and determined.

Ironically, it wasn't the monster that stood in way of Carlisle's plan. Without my male siblings' presence here to add to the threat, he was strangely subservient to my father. It was me that was struggling, unsure that I wanted to be the impetus for a war, for a change in my father's usual stance.

Carlisle held out a small digital camera. Turning to Esme, he snapped a close up of her and then turned the digital image toward us.

"A picture," he said to the monster, like he was instructing a child.

Bella finally reached out to take it from Carlisle, when the monster kept us still. Sliding around in front, she rose on tiptoe so that her face was closer to ours and pressed the button. The monster jerked slightly, but growled at her to get back behind him. Even though she obeyed, her hand held the camera for us to see. It was literally Beauty and the Beast. I curled my lip at the image. In my years as a human, I'd given little thought to my looks. As a vampire, they'd been the bane of my existence at times. But now, I couldn't help but feel that Bella should be shamed by being beside me. My cheeks were hollowed and sunken, and my skin was drawn and pasty. Still, I was better than I'd been upon my arrival, the blood helping to fill my face out slightly. Just thinking about it made my throat flare. We were thirsty again.

Seeing the monster's hand go to our throat, Carlisle smiled. "Esme and I will go with you and Bella," he suggested before holding out his hand to Bella to take the camera.

"May I take another one of you?" he asked. Silently, he sent, _Edward, I would like to have a full shot, not just your face._

Sneaky. He'd already deduced that the monster didn't pay much attention to the thoughts swirling around him, but he knew I did.

Surprisingly, like a sanctimonious prude, the monster pulled Bella forward to cuddle her back to his chest in response, his arms going around her waist. We'd taken a picture like this for the prom, I remembered. I'd held her like a precious treasure; he was showing Bella off like a prized possession! I was certain that I didn't want to see that one…as he pulled his lips back in a farce of a smile.

~DS~

Gluttony was a sin, or at least the Bible claimed, but it was as if my body couldn't get enough blood. Two deer did little to slake the burning, but by the time I found a large buck, I was able to somewhat relish the slide of the warm liquid flowing in large gulps. Carlisle and Esme followed behind us, taking care of the carcasses I left in my haste. Finally, by the fourth, I could feel the slosh in my stomach, the tissues not immediately absorbing the nourishment. Bella, Carlisle, and Esme were full from the hunting earlier in the day, so they were really more escorts or company. The monster and I both acknowledged the pictures that I knew my father took, but the thirst had been foremost. Considering the crazed manner in which the monster had fed, it was amazing I wasn't covered in blood and gore, but as it was, the clothes Alice had provided earlier were still intact and clean.

Esme actually rumpled my hair as she took the last slain animal from me, and the monster let out something that sounded faintly like a purr. The sound made my mother's smile brighten. She thought it an acknowledgement from me. Angered that he would claim such, I exerted control when she came back by, grabbing her hand. Carlisle rose in response, afraid we might hurt her, and the monster attempted to let go, sensing the leader's disquiet. Me…I held onto her…my sometimes mother, sometimes sister, always friend. Without concern, Esme squatted beside us. She glanced to Bella at my side before looking into my eyes.

"See, it's getting a little easier isn't it?" she suggested. "I like seeing the gold back in your eyes," she teased. Seeing mischief cross her face, I should have been forewarned, but she then reached up and tugged at a long piece of my hair. "You know, considering how weak you are…we might be able to cut that hair of yours and give it a more proper style."

"HEY!" Bella screamed out in affront.

My hair was something Bella liked very much. She had no clue that this was a private joke between Esme and me. It was bad enough that I'd been afflicted with copper colored tresses, but the unruliness had only made it worse, rarely conducive to the styles we'd had to manage over the years. Esme had sarcastically "worried" over it throughout our many personas and disguises and was using the memories to remind me of our many decades together. She was as clever as my father…just one of the reasons they were the leaders of our family.

The monster actually snickered as he saw the many moments of her fussing over me in my memories. Unwilling to share, I snarled at him, and he snarled back. But externally, all my family saw was the amusement of the beast and my clinging to Esme's hand. Bella glared at Esme until my mother held her one free hand up in surrender.

"I'm just saying, Bella."

The monster looked to his mate, and with a sheen to her eyes Bella replied, "I love him just the way he is!" punctuating her declaration with a pouty "Hmph," and again the monster snickered at her pique.

Seeing the dying light of the day, suddenly we were reminded that the nights were spent in very pleasurable activities around the Cullen household. Certain that he wanted to claim Bella again, the monster stretched and rose, moving to place Esme's hand into a startled Carlisle's. Tugging gently at Bella, he took off running toward the house. My father's delighted thoughts filtered around me as he considered the acknowledgement we'd given both he and Esme. He had the pictures he wanted, and was thinking…in a very clinically detached manner, of course…just how much a good night of sex would benefit me. While he ruminated, I bemoaned, not for the first time, just how little privacy we had in the family.

But as we drew near to the house, I picked up on the vibes of concern from my siblings. They were all attempting to not let me know what they were thinking, but Nessie's name kept coming through against their best efforts. Before I could ascertain what had occurred, the monster slowed, detecting a fast heart beat.

NO! I screamed as my child broke through the tree line ahead of us, and the monster lunged away from Carlisle, Esme, and Bella.

Chaos ensued as I fought him for control. We couldn't hurt her, no matter how enticing her heartbeat sounded! To do so would be our destruction, for I couldn't live with it.

She'd spotted me and, unaware of the danger, was running as fast as she could toward me. Jake and the others, having caught her scent, pounded through the forest, but they were too far away. Hearing Nessie's excited squeals and Esme, Carlisle, and Bella's screams, Emmett slipped. Nessie had stolen away from the wolves and the fear had been that she was headed here. Here to her certain destruction at my hands. My siblings ran from the house, but they would be too late as well.

The monster zeroed in on her, even as Bella screamed for me to stop, sobbing, "Edward, NO! It's Renesmee!"

Just a few feet farther and she would be in his hands. Unaware of what she was running too, great tears splashed down across her face as her small stride ate up the ground as well…

NO! I raged, and just as his hands grabbed her arms, I pushed with everything inside me.

_NOT MY CHILD!_

His control snapped, and we tumbled across the ground, Renesmee wrapped snuggly in my arms. The monster whined, taking great breaths of her scent…but the bloodlust I'd expected…feared…would overwhelm me wasn't there. Instead, our nose ran along her neck breathing in the special mixture of Bella, me, and our Little Nudger. Our roll across the grass stopped with me on bottom, her bracing herself above me, but then her hands flew to my face and the most beautiful images flooded through me…

I saw our reunion through the family's eyes, and through those of the wolves that materialized out of the forest…Jake running for us even as he pulled on his clothes.

Nessie's ringlets hung down around us, her tiny hands to my face, as a look of awe bloomed across my features. Wet spots appeared on my unhealthy looking skin as her tears flowed down on me…washing my mistakes away…cleansing me in a way that little else could. Splashes after splashes fell against my cheeks and the scalding heat of them burnt away another layer of my insulation.

And although those that had come to rest in a loose circle around me found my and my daughter's reunion poignant, clinging to one another at the heartwarming sight, nothing could compare to what I felt. Bella fell to her knees beside us, putting her hand on mine. The monster recognized his offspring and enjoyed the scent and communion, settling back to allow me my time. And me…I was in heaven. In bright colors, Nessie poured her memories and stories into me…my missing year in beautiful, deep, and crystal clear clarity.

"Nessie, you're beautiful," I gurgled, forming only the second sentence I'd been able to complete.

"Oh Daddy!" she cried out, collapsing down onto me to cover my face in her sweet kisses.

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><p><strong>Would love to know what you think?<strong>

**I received a few emails asking for an outtake on the Monster's little possessive time with Bella in the woods. I submitted a small outtake to at least one beta (won't mention names) and he said okay. Sign up for author alert – as I'll be putting it up as a separate story, since Downward Spiral will be like my other story, Harvest Moon and entirely from Edward's perspective.**

**To Crmcneill, who was able to put his red pen to this - it made my heart sing to get the first draft back with all those pretty red marks! I hope I am doing your baby proud! Seriously, thank you so much for making my writing better! I've said it a million times before; you've made it worthwhile.**

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**For those that have left a review - I apologize that I haven't responded. I injured my shoulder a couple of weeks ago, and it is still giving me fits. Just getting out a chapter has been a major effort!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>The monster inhaled Nessie's scent deeply, categorizing the part of her that was us, the distinct parts that were Bella, and how they combined to make her unforgettable. What he didn't like was the wet dog smell that also clung to her. The presence of the huge shape-shifters pacing back and forth frantically just at the tree line in the back of the house wasn't helping. I heard their thoughts, the horror they felt in seeing my appearance. Seth in particular was furious; his sister, Leah, was torn between disgust and sadness. She and I'd come to a strange accord after the Volturi incident more than a year ago on that New Year's Eve Day, and although I was still a "<em>stinking leech"<em> to her, she admired the lengths I'd gone to save my daughter and wife. Strangely, she saw my current situation as similar to hers…our conditions inflicted upon us by others. Of course, for me it was at the whims of our "leaders," for her it was the activation of the dormant gene within her at our hands.

Paying no attention to the plethora of voices crowding our head, the monster only saw danger. He was interpreting the large wolves as a threat to Bella and Nessie…still a little unclear about Jacob and where he fit in. He instinctively knew they were capable of ripping him to pieces and looked at them warily. I felt him stretching his control a little, and afraid he might hurt Nessie by accident in his reaction to the wolves, I sat up cradling her in my arms to pass her off to Bella.

"Daddy?" Ness called out uncertainly when I pressed her into her mother's arms, reaching out to me. I crouched down on all fours as the monster and I struggled within.

"Hey Sam, I think we're okay…you can go," Jacob said gruffly, and I was amazed that he'd figured out that their presence was the basis of some of our disquiet.

They all disappeared except for Seth. Seeing that he was unwilling, Jacob muttered, "Edward, Seth wants to stay. Can you give me anything here to help me?"

How did he know to speak directly to me? I listened to his thoughts and realized he didn't really…he was just treating me as if I was the man who'd become his friend. Just a slightly less…coherent man. Seth whined and dropped to the ground gracefully, placing his head across his legs in a plaintive manner. He then began to crawl across the ground slowly, using his paws to pull and push him. Only Seth… But when he got too close, the monster growled subtly. Seth gave a little yip and lowered himself to the ground.

_Would it be better if I was human?_ he asked.

"Yes," I forced out, focusing much of the rest of my strength on holding the monster at bay.

Realizing what was occurring, the women in the family spun around to turn their backs, giving him some privacy, and Seth quickly phased, pulling on the shorts he'd tied to his leg. Then with a broad smile on his face, he came forward as if there was nothing to fear. Holding fast to the beast in me, I was astonished when Seth's behavior puzzled him. I was even more astounded when the monster inside me relaxed a little. He was equating Seth to Jacob's rank…somewhere in the outskirts of the group…a young cub, perhaps. I lost my grip at the shock and the monster reared his head, blurring in front of Bella and Nessie as if he was guarding them.

Nessie placed her hand on the monster's back, and she sent vivid images of her with Seth…him playing with her…protecting her while she hunted…his defense of the family when the Volturi had come. That sparked a chord with the monster; they were the enemy…the ones that had starved us. He snarled in a low rumble at the images Nessie presented me with, and my family became nervous, misinterpreting. Emmett, in particular, was considering how to tackle us.

"I'm showing him the _Italian Scum_," Nessie piped up in explanation…having adopted Stefan and Vladimir's nicknames for the Volturi. I nearly smiled at the epithet, not expecting it from my daughter.

Then the monster roared as the images of Aro and Caius filtered through her memories. Gnashing his teeth, he tensed as if he would attack them. But then Seth's image came clearly, standing just behind us in the clearing that fateful day we were all almost destroyed. She was showing him that Seth was in fact family…or in his way of seeing it…part of the pride. He noted not only Seth, but all the other wolves. Teeth grinding together at the images and its perplexing message, he reached back and pulled Nessie to his back. She wrapped her arms around our throat and snuggled against us, her tiny legs wrapped around our waist. I'd carried the human Bella this way, when we'd flown through the woods.

"See Daddy, he's okay. Now quit growling," she ordered. Such a simple way of looking at it, but it spoke to him.

In response, he rubbed his cheek against her hand and then grabbing Bella's hand took off toward the house, leaving the family to deal with Jacob and Seth.

As we started up the stairs, I heard Emmett joke, "Well that went better than I expected."

"Is he okay?" Jacob asked softly of Carlisle.

"We're getting there, Jacob. We're getting there…" my father murmured with a great deal of enthusiasm. "Come in, our cousins arrive in the morning, and there is much I would speak to you about."

~DS~

As if it would be effective against the supernatural creatures below, the monster pulled the large dresser over to block the door, effectively making a "den" out of my bedroom. He then moved around the room looking out the panes of glass into the yards and the woods beyond to assess for any danger. Satisfied that he'd hear a vampire climbing up the walls and be able to rouse a defense in time, he turned back to Bella and Nessie, who'd climbed up on the bed.

Nessie giggled at us, seeing the behavior for what it was. "Daddy, Jacob can't hurt me, and since I'm his imprint, neither can any of the others. You know that!"

The monster blew a deep breath of air out of his nose. It almost sounded like a "humph."

"Renesmee, did you sneak away from Jacob?" Bella admonished her.

Our daughter had the grace to blush, and it was so reminiscent of her mother that I sighed. I realized I still missed my wife's blush as a human and all the feelings that vision engendered. Bella looked up at the noise and smiled at me, knowing that reaction was all mine.

"Grandpa Billy," our miracle admitted, ducking her head a little in shame. "But they wouldn't let me come, and after hearing Daddy screaming on the phone, I knew I had to." She looked at us and impatiently patted the bed covers beside her, as if she was questioning why I wasn't already there.

Like a starving stray dog that'd been offered a steak, he eagerly leapt up on the bed to sit beside her. Without one ounce of fear, Ness crawled into our lap. Bella seemed unconcerned as well, and I wanted to shout out that she needed to watch him. Nessie linked one of our hands, with the other she played "itsy bitsy" spider up our thin arm.

"Daddy, you need to go hunting again in the morning," she announced matter-of-factly. I would've disagreed, but I could already tell that my stomach wasn't as sloshy as it had been. My body was healing as quickly as possible with the surplus of life-giving liquid I'd claimed from the animals we'd found. My tissues, I observed dispassionately, were slowly absorbing the blood like a sponge and allowing my desiccated cells to restore themselves. "Jake, Mama, and I'll go with you. Perhaps you'd even allow Seth; he's pretty fast and strong."

"Puppy power!" Emmett called out in his best "Scooby-Doo" voice, and I heard as much as saw the scuffle that happened between him and Seth. It was good natured…well until they broke a chair, and then it was Esme who was furious at losing yet another piece of furniture.

The monster stirred at the sound from downstairs while I snorted quietly to myself; some things never change. He moved to put himself closer to the furniture-blocked opening - placing himself between his mate and offspring and the others. Nessie remained in our lap and continued the soothing motion of her fingers across our skin.

"Daddy…" She turned to look up into my face. "I'm glad you're home." She leaned up to kiss the underside of my chin…as if she'd missed a spot in the kiss-fest I'd received earlier. "Mama and I cried a lot, and often while you were gone. We missed you terribly."

She then laid her memories open to me…Bella and she curled in a ball before Nessie would fall tearfully to sleep. Nessie waking up to find Bella exactly in the spot and position that she'd been in the night before…staring off into space, the shimmer of venom making her eyes look hollow. Bella's face looked so desolate and empty, even with Nessie being there to bring some light. Bella attempting to get through the days after I'd been taken…the blankness of Alice's visions and my sister's subsequent refusal to divulge these visions driving her almost insane. I snarled at the images; they looked too much like the memories of Bella when I pushed her away for six months when she was human. But for Nessie, I wonder if she'd found a way to die, believing I'd been destroyed. Even though Alice's first vision of my torture had been horrific, Bella had found a small degree of consolation that I was still on this Earth. The others in the family had begun to plan then after the shock of losing me wore off, giving way to anger and then rationality, to find and return me home…Nessie watching on as the family began to show some signs of life again.

She continued the visions, as the evening gave way to dark night, Bella flicking on a lamp to illuminate us…showing me while she told Bella what she was imagining. Hearing her thoughts would have been enough, but her gift added such vivid imagery that it was almost addictive. The monster loved the images flowing into our mind and picked up her hand to kiss. He nibbled gently when he saw something he liked, showing her affection, but it was nothing like the teasing he'd done with Bella. His venom…our venom…we still weren't sure what it would do to her. He sensed her fragileness and was accounting for it in the way he loved on her. At some point later in the night, our fingers threaded through her copper colored curls and she began yawn.

"Time for bed, Renesmee," Bella directed and Nessie streaked across the floor toward the bathroom. Before the monster could even grow agitated at her absence, she was climbing back into his lap, a brush in hand, pajamas on. She put the brush into his palm and then turned as if he should know what to do.

Frozen, the monster looked at it, but when Nessie turned back to him, a pleading look on her face, he grew…panicked? Seeing his fear, she began humming. It was my song, the one I'd written for her before the Volturi had come the first time. She stopped and the monster grew slightly agitated. He liked the sound.

"I forget it sometimes, Daddy. How it goes next. Can you hum it for me?" she asked, turning again so that we could see the plea in her sleepy eyes. She knew this song by heart; she was asking me to do this as a way to make me join her.

Huffing at me to fix this, the monster retreated so quickly that I was thrown into the forefront. He paced around me growing desperate at my frozen stance. Snarling, he grumbled at me, at my inaction.

Brush…I knew what to do with this. I lifted my hands slowly, brush in hand. Bella looked on in small approval, the corner of her mouth crinkling upward.

My voice sounded rusty as the hum started…off key, but it couldn't cover up my mother's gasp. I had to focus on the racket that came from my throat for a few moments, but Nessie was so infinitely patient. I felt her sigh though, when my shaky hands placed the brush at her crown. Slowly…ever so slowly…I pulled it down through her curls, watching them spring up thick and luxurious as soon as the brush detangled them. There was such life to her hair, as if nothing could ever weigh it down. It might become tangled or chaotic from her flight through the woods, but once care was taken of it, it quickly went back to its place…shining, everlasting.

Resilience… Would I react like Nessie, springing back to life once the tangles and kinks had been worked out? And, what was I to do with the monster afterward?

Nessie's sweet music joined mine, helping to smooth off the edges of my dissonance. It was beautiful, the combination. Even the monster hummed beside me. Well maybe it really wasn't a hum as much as a low guttural moaning running in an undercurrent to it. I worked the rest of the snarls out of Nessie's hair, and when I put the brush down, she turned to rest her cheek against my chest. Within just a minute, her contributions stopped, leaving my voice solo. This time the dissonance sounded haunting as the house was silent, and the last note seemed to echo around it.

Tucking her into bed, I used the last of my strength to brush the hair off her forehead. She turned on her side, facing toward us, and I couldn't help but want to gaze at her. So taking the initiative, I laid my head down on the pillow beside her.

"Thank you," Bella said softly, and I grabbed her hand, totally confused as to what we'd done. "Would you like to take a shower and then after we change for the night, just crawl in bed with her?" she proposed, having propped up on her elbow so that she gazed at us from across the small body of our daughter.

The monster reared his head at the thought of a shower with his mate. A low rumble came out of our chest, and she grinned at it.

"You would have to be extremely quiet if you plan that," she said softly. "She isn't asleep enough to make it through one of your more vocal sessions." She actually was sassy enough to arch an eyebrow at me.

Really…

Before she even knew what hit her, I had her thrown in the shower, stripped naked…the pieces of her clothing fluttering to the floor. Hot water pouring over us, I attempted not to break the tiles when I pushed her back against them, wrapping her legs around my waist. "Bella," I growled out kissing up her neck, nipping at her slightly.

She gasped. "Edward?"

Her confusion broke through my lust-induced haze, and I realized she'd thought the monster was in control. Why? Looking behind the dark eyed temptress, I then saw the crack in the slate behind her head. I'd been too rough! The notion caused me to freeze. My hands trembled as he attempted to wrestle the control from me…perfectly comfortable with taking it from here. The feel of her wrapped around us was intoxicating, and I ached to seat myself in her, to feel her clenching around me. But what must she think?

"Edward…baby?" she gasped, feeling my fingers tighten around her. "It's okay…" she whispered, putting her lips gently to mine.

He was unhappy about it and exerted his control, parting her lips roughly and kissing her deeply. With little finesse, he took her. When she fell to pieces around us, he grunted and roared in completion, and she threw her trembling hand over his mouth, muffling the sound issuing from our chest. Deep breaths puffed over our skin as she panted in satisfaction.

Slowly he lowered her, turning her back into the deluge of water and washing her hair with shampoo before applying conditioner. Then he used the body wash to scrub her down. Still reeling from the savageness of the ordeal, I lurked…mad. Bella turned as I was contemplating my anger and smiled at us.

"My turn," she flirted, shampoo in hand.

She patted the built-in corner seat, telling him to sit so that she could reach our hair easier. He huffed, but she tapped the bench a little harder, her eyes narrowing at him slightly. When he still didn't move, she captured our hand and nibbled at our wrist. At her inducement, he did as instructed. Purrs ripped from him as she scraped her nails across our scalp. Soon, hot water streamed over us both cleaning off the shampoos, conditioner, and soap, before she wrapped us in fluffy towels. Within minutes, my head was back on the pillow, and I was staring at my child's face again…body sated with sex, blood, and safety. I was still angry though that he'd taken my glory. I huffed slightly, and the monster snickered. In complete abandon, he stretched luxuriously before reaching across Nessie's sleeping body to grab Bella's hand. Cocooning Nessie between Bella and us, he settled.

The night waxed on, and the shadows produced by the moonlight filtering through the trees created patterns across the walls. Thoughts and dreams raced through Nessie's mind. Bella lifted one of Nessie's hands to rest against her head, watching along with us. There were lots of memories of Jacob, and it was satisfying to see his pack and father going about the simple daily business of living. A plethora of pictures of life within this house also entertained me, and I realized that Carlisle had stepped in…serving as a makeshift father for my baby, while I'd been gone. But in her memories, I saw the worry clearly straining my father's face.

Characteristically, Bella remained mostly silent throughout the hours, her thumb brushing over the skin of my hand in a simple caress. For the most part, we watched Nessie, and Bella watched us. When the monster did glance up to check on her, I could see the relief, joy, and love in her face. Her eyes widened each time we caught her in the act…the golden depths shining in the moonlight.

"I love you," she murmured when, just before dawn, our eyes met for probably the hundredth time.

The sounds of the family stirring from their respective bedrooms let us know that life in the Cullen residence was beginning for the day; apparently Bella had blocked their minds to provide us with some respite. I heard Emmett kick the couches where Jacob and Seth had fallen asleep. Jacob snored, and it had been a consistent noise throughout the night, and at Emmett's "attack" he gasped coming up with a start. I was certain Bella was just taking the moment to start the day off right with her words, so I pulled her hand to me and kissed the back of it gently.

"Edward, are you feeling more in control today?" she asked, knowing it was my lips that were touching her.

I smiled at her before answering. "Yes, My Love."

Her whole face lit up, as if there was a fire burning from within. Such simple words, such simple joy.

Not much later, I detected the thoughts of our cousins approaching on foot, having raced through the night from Alaska to our house; one part of me wondered why they did not simply drive. Their thoughts were confused, trying to really understand just what Carlisle had meant when he said I "wasn't the same." Eleazar and Carmen were in the lead, Tanya after them, with Kate and Garrett behind. Just a few seconds later, the sound of their footsteps in the woods became apparent to everyone, and I heard my father's quiet satisfaction at knowing that his friend had joined us. Esme cried out in joy at seeing Carmen, and my siblings began speaking rapidly in greeting to Kate, Garrett, and Tanya. Have been roused, even Jacob and Seth attempted to be nice, but I could hear our cousins' attempt to deal with the smell…for us. I wanted to grin when Tanya started eyeing Seth. I needed to warn her away…he might look twenty-five, but he was still just a baby by vampire standards.

Their noise slowly infiltrated Nessie's consciousness, and she soon opened her eyes to see me looking at her. She squealed and lunged across the sheets towards me, patting at my face. But Eleazar's voice drew her attention. She looked over to the still-blocked door and frowned.

"Daddy, you are going to have to unblock the door so I can go see them," she announced pertly.

The words caught everyone's attention, and I saw in Esme's mind the glance that Eleazar sent over to Carlisle.

And as if it was a given that she would be allowed to go down stairs, Nessie crawled across the bed to leap to the closet. As if she was Alice's child and not ours, she began throwing outfits to us in haste.

"Let me know when you're dressed," she announced, promptly shutting the door to the bathroom.

~DS~

The monster didn't like the idea of going down the stairs, knowing that there were two more potentially aggressive males, not to mention the three females. He certainly didn't discredit the females, visions of Victoria racing through our mind. He didn't know her name…just that she had been extremely dangerous. Arms splayed to keep Bella and Nessie from moving, he growled softly while he attempted to determine what to do. Visions of jumping out the window with them raced through his mind.

_Enough! This is our family._ I snarled.

Bella had been watching us, the splay of emotions across our face. When she saw me looking down the stairway with a degree of longing, she called out to my father. "Carlisle, can you all move to the far side of the room? I think he's ready."

They'd all been waiting, having heard Nessie fuss at me to move the dresser from the door. _ Daddy, don't be silly. They won't hurt us, and I'm ready to go see Uncle Eleazar and Aunt Carmen._

Bella asked softly, "Edward?"

When I nodded shortly, she reached out and took my hand, Nessie the other. Then escorted by the two beautiful women in my life, we made our way slowly down the stairs. Nessie pulled me determinedly forward, unwilling to give me the opportunity to change my mind.

Tanya gasped when I stepped into sight from the stairs, deep primal growls ripping out of her. _Dear God!_ echoed through her mind. Eleazar was stunned into stillness upon seeing me, a slow burn starting in his chest. It was the ember of fury, and when I glanced up into his eyes, seeing them dilate into black, and looked down again, unable to maintain the contact, he turned away for a moment, his fists clenching rapidly. Kate stared in horror and then turned into Garrett's chest, burying her face there to sob silently. Garrett looked at me keenly, absorbing my wasted appearance and near-feral behavior; his mind raged at the actions of the "king."

Carmen, ever a gentle soul, was the first spurred to move with her reaction, coming directly toward us. She'd always been a favorite of mine, the person to stand in the gap for me with Tanya during the times her pursuit became too aggressive, and the first to touch and accept Nessie. The monster growled in warning, but it was a soft one with little threat. It was more of an acknowledgement and request for her to stop.

She heard his plea and did so, just ten feet from us. The tenderness in her eyes was comforting, but it was in direct contrast to her words. "If Carlisle doesn't destroy him, I will!" she swore, then added a few curse words in fluent Spanish.

The monster snorted, liking her immediately. I rose against him, ready to defend her from any of his actions.

Eleazar, who'd monitored his wife's approach toward me, saw the rapid cycling between the two of us and was fascinated even amidst his horror. When he went to step forward, the monster reared again, corralling Bella and Nessie behind him, placing the wall at their back.

My father explained in a quiet but firm voice. "When he feels cornered, the feral nature wins out." He motioned gently for Eleazar to move back.

I would have attempted to communicate in some way, but Tanya's thoughts and then words stunned me, sending me in a tailspin to where I retreated fully leaving the monster in control. My teeth bared slightly.

"Carlisle, I know that I'm not normally noted for my brains… despite my millennium of experience…" my brothers snickered knowing exactly what she was known for "…but I'm going to differ with you slightly. What I see is the real Edward coming through. He's always been so overprotective of Bella that this just seems his normal reaction to a horrible situation." She moved forward to where she stood even closer to us than Carmen did. "Edward, it's okay to be this way. Mates feel that protective of one another, and your Nessie…well she is unique." She grinned down at where my daughter peeked around from behind the monster's restraining arm. "I would imagine you are even more protective of her."

Amused at her observation and the families' resulting shock, the monster looked her over, recognizing her incredible appeal, then looked back to the room to ascertain where her mate was. Determined to solve the riddle, his arm blurred to her, pulling her forward in a jerky motion. It was at the credit of Tanya's affection for me that she didn't tear him to pieces. He huffed her hair, as he'd done Bella's, attempting to pick up a scent of a male to associate with her. Unable to find it, he drew deeply again before placing her back in front of him.

Tanya was rendered mute…her mouth attempting to make sound, opening and closing in a funny manner. Her black eyes told of her sexual awareness. Her mind showed just how attracted she was to the near –feral part of me, and the primal nature of that. Her succubus side was tremendously pulled to it. She muttered internally in a long-lost dialect of her native Slovakian language as she fought to regain control over her fey side. Finally, she found it, and her eyes began to return to gold. "Bella, just what other…um…behaviors are being amplified?"

I saw my wife's very pleased and sultry look from Tanya's thoughts. The smile that broke upon her face was one of tremendous satisfaction.

"ARGH!" Tanya huffed out and stomped her foot, but then she smiled in glee. "You'd better not go back on that Edward, when you finally work this all out, or I'll personally kick you. Damn, damn, damn," she grumbled as she turned and backed away to stand next to Eleazar, leaving the monster perplexed and the family re-evaluating everything they'd previously determined from their observations of us.

I was furious…listening to the thoughts running rampant throughout the room as my family began to dissect my behavior since my return home and comparing many of the things the monster had done with the Edward they knew. Irate wasn't even the correct word to describe how I felt with just how much of what they saw of the monster's behavior was being equated as amplifications of my personality. As if my fits didn't merit inspection, the monster finally determined he could trust the family in defense of Bella and Nessie and moved to greet each of them. Carmen and Kate…he breathed in their scents, much like he'd done Tanya. With Eleazar and Garrett, he turned to Carlisle, giving his leader the opportunity to do the introductions.

While I ranted at him about his less than cordial manners, the revolution began – Garrett, determined to bring down the "dictator," was planning to corner Jasper for a strategy session, while Eleazar was already forming a list in his head of the allies he and Carlisle needed to call upon.

It was my father's words, however, that seemed most prophetic. "Eleazar, we are in accord?"

The Spaniard's answer was a simple nod of his head.

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><p><strong>Would love to know what you think?<strong>

**I received a few emails asking for an outtake on the Monster's little possessive time with Bella in the woods. I've placed it under the story Synthesis (on my profile). To answer a few questions – 1) I'll probably do more outtakes there as the story continues 2) This story was started as being only in Edward's POV, so I'm using the outtakes to portray other perspectives.**

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. Your skill in editing this is far beyond compare!**

**To crmcneill, hope this meets your specifications! HA! Missed your input on this one!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**I hope you are still enjoying my foray into Mentalward! **

* * *

><p>Jasper and Emmett moved closer to me when we heard the delivery truck turn off the highway onto our long drive. They were concerned that in my current mental state, I'd lunge at the scent of a human. Ironically, the monster was as willing to tolerate animal blood as I was. Per his considerations, he'd only done what was necessary in Volterra…things abhorrent to me, but which were necessary actions that had ultimately sustained us. At least until Aro had ordered us starved. The monster felt no guilt over his actions; justifying what he'd done with the proof of its necessity…the family stirring around me, my daughter, and my wife, or in his terms, mate.<p>

"Edward, Bro, why don't you come with Jasper and me out back," Emmett proposed. My family and the Denalis all observed me carefully, their golden eyes fixed on me, to see if I was going to abide by the request.

The irony that Emmett and Jasper were the ones attempting to keep me from "falling off the wagon" made me smile. The monster turned our head quizzically at Emmett, and Carlisle determined at that moment to enlighten him.

"Edward, the smell of the driver may be too enticing. Go with Jasper and Emmett," Carlisle said softly but firmly.

The monster took his words as a directive and after nodding his head at my father, began moving toward the door, but then stopped and threw Nessie on our back and grabbed Bella with one hand. He drew near Tanya and stopped, then sniffed her scent briefly and abruptly pulled her up as well, dragging her toward the door with his other free hand. I could see the looks of confusion in both Bella's and Tanya's faces, and I wasn't about to allow the monster to start any chaos in what was a good, but still developing, relationship between the two. I knew his reasons; they didn't. I was still piqued about the family's observations and discussions, but it didn't mean I was going to allow my resentments to let other problems foster by being quiet. The others stared in puzzlement and not a little uncertainty as we pulled Tanya along.

I wanted to snarl though when Emmett threw back, "Wish he was always that respectful of your directions, Carlisle. Imagine how drama free life would've been."

Gathering strength, I waited until we stopped just at the tree line, Emmett and Jasper placing themselves between the house and us, before I spoke.

"Curious about Tanya," I growled softly, and said vampiress' eyes jerked to me at hearing my voice for the first time since my return.

I heard her register the gruffness in my voice and heard her mentally noting how she thought it made me "sexier." Ever the succubus. I wanted to chuckle at the fact that some things never changed…it was actually very comforting. Bella stepped in front of us and placed her hand against my cheek. It soothed me.

Gazing directly into my eyes, she asked gently, "He wants to know about Tanya?"

Tanya murmured, "_He_?" Her mind registered confusion at Bella's words and pondered our actions since the Denalis' arrival; she quickly realized that Bella – and Carlisle – were referring to the dichotomy residing within me: the rational Edward and the feral, instinctual monster.

I moved to place a quick kiss against her hand and nodded yes, rubbing my cheek against her softly.

Grabbing our hand to nibble at the monster's wrist, Bella answered simply, "Tanya is our cousin, and she hasn't found her mate yet."

_A thousand years…I've been looking. _Tanya thought with some longing and an undercurrent of bitterness, even though she attempted not to do so. She doubted her ability to find her mate. I had been the latest attempt.

The monster whined at the thought, knowing how he felt about Bella and the connection they shared. From somewhere deep within him, he remembered me being alone, as well. The moment and memory stunned me…and we broke from Bella stumbling backward into the pine trees at the forest line.

_WE DIDN'T SHARE MEMORIES!_

Nessie attempted to calm me, patting softly at my shoulder and projected a calming image, but instead, acting on instinct and a vestige of my rational self, I blurred to Jasper, handing over my daughter. Agitated, I then paced along the forest line while tugging at my hair.

_Get out of my head!_ I shouted at him. My memories were mine!

He ignored me, caught up in the sorrow, remembering times…holidays…years of my aloneness. And as he remembered, the emptiness, melancholy, sarcasm and anger at my gift's unrelenting exposure to the unwanted, disdained attentions of females I'd once experienced threatened to overwhelm us.

Bella started keeping pace, determined to stay with me in our agitation.

"Alone hurts," I said quickly to her, placing my hand over my heart.

She stepped in front of me, bringing my movement to a halt. Her eyes penetrated into my dark orbits.

"But you aren't alone, and you never will be again," she said softly but forcefully. She reached up and grabbed a handful of my unruly hair, pulling me down for a deeply connecting and lingering kiss. It wasn't meant to be tantalizing, but purely a means of soothing me.

"Not me. Tanya. Alone." The words came out clearly, my breath feathering over her lips.

Bella's eyes flared at the realization I'd overruled the monster for the moment. "Well, she'll have to get her own mate, because I'm not sharing you," she teased, her deeply golden eyes widening as she mock frowned at me.

Confusion flared, until I started sputtering…realizing what she was jokingly insinuating. "I…No!...Bella…damn…"

Emmett and Jasper's laughter rang out across the yard, while Tanya started chuckling at what must have been the horrified look on my face. Not to be left out, Nessie giggled at my uncharacteristic use of profanity. The monster's contemplation of just how he would take care of Tanya until he could find her a help-mate and my amusement of the thought of what might happen when he attempted to "man-handle" Tanya was cut short, though, by the thoughts echoing in the delivery man's mind.

He was being completely unchivalrous with his lascivious thoughts of Rosalie, who had come out to pick up the packages being delivered, and what he would like to do to her. Of all the times for the monster to begin listening…

The trees blurred around me, even as I heard Jasper and Emmett shout. Jasper attempted to grab me in an attempt to slow me down, but the monster had a head start. Turning the corner to the front of our house, he blurred to the human's side, just as the man considered just what Rosalie could do to him with her lips.

"Leave!" I snarled out from beside him, making him jump and stumble back against the truck at least a foot.

He hadn't heard me coming, and I'd startled him with my barely discernible growls. Thoughts of Rosalie entertaining him flew from his head, replaced only by the fear of my black eyes and glistening teeth.

"_Cancer?"_ The question ran through his head as he determined what would have caused my appearance to be so grim and emaciated. _Doesn't matter, he looks like he would like to rip me to pieces. _At least his second thought was much more accurate.

"Edward, it's okay," Rosalie said, putting her hand on my arm just as Emmett and Jasper joined us, placing restraining hands on my shoulders. "He was just delivering Alice's packages. He's leaving now," she said quickly.

The man took one more longing look at Rose and then backed up, moving to get in his truck and leave. I growled deeply when his eyes brushed over her breasts, imagining what they would look like underneath the clothing. Emmett and Jasper's hands all but crushed my bones as a result. Through their eyes, I could see my furious visage as I raged at the man's desires for Rosalie. Only when the truck was gone did anyone speak.

"Dude, what the hell's wrong with you?" Emmett asked, spinning me around so that I faced Rosalie, he, and Jasper. My family had fanned out of the doors, coming onto the porch to stand. Rose's eyes were wide, confused.

"Not. Proper!" I growled out, pronouncing each word as distinct and individual.

Carlisle's smile at my words was blinding, while Rosalie's look was a combination of shock, amusement, and burgeoning…warmth.

"Edward…" Rosalie started to tell me she was used to it, being that her vanity loved receiving this sort of attention from men, while Emmett gasped in understanding and then approval. His hands released me.

"Hmph…" I ground out, blowing air out through my nose so that it was clear that I was still disgruntled. The women in our family were to be respected. We might as mates grow…amorous or aggressive…in our pursuit of them, but no one else should think those thoughts. I'd had to deal with men thinking this way about Alice, Rosalie, and Esme for decades, but it didn't mean I had to like it or put up with it; my rational side's Victorian sensibilities were still deeply ingrained within me.

Rosalie could see that I was clearly not pleased with what the man had been thinking. "Thank you Edward," she said softly, patting her hand on my still too thin forearm. It was one of the few signs of affection we'd ever exchanged. In reaction, the monster put his hand on hers and squeezed softly. We blew a slow breath out as we calmed down gradually.

But then he fell victim to the intrigue of the multiple boxes on the porch as he spied them. He moved past Rosalie, coming to stand beside where Bella held Nessie.

Turning to look for Tanya and seeing her standing to the side of everyone, he huffed loudly again, and went to retrieve her…herding her to Bella's side.

"LOOK!" she began to argue, but the monster growled at her loudly.

Impressive, it was a threatening sound, and Carlisle and Eleazar took notice stepping forward. Jasper's words stopped them. "He's feeling territorial with Tanya, as if she is a part of his family," he explained. "Not a lover, by the way, Bella…Tanya."

A gruff laugh tore out of my chest as Tanya used the moment to tell me exactly what she thought about my new behavior. As I suspected, she mentally told the monster/me to perform several anatomically impossible acts, but seeing that she still stood by Bella and in his mind obeying his directions, the monster ignored her, still intrigued with what the boxes must hold.

"MP3s," Alice offered up, having already seen that I was attempting to form the question. "We're going to design a video presentation featuring the photos and videos of you and then send them out to the vampire world. Carlisle just needs to record and embed the message he wants to go along with the video presentation."

Her announcement stunned several amongst the group, but I saw my father's eyes narrow in consideration. Within a second, he was back to mentally categorizing the many photos he'd taken of me since my arrival home and assessing the impact each one would make, what order they should be stored in, and the message of revolution he needed to compose.

~DS~

Carlisle was struggling. The words had flown from his fingertips, but letting go of hundreds of years of pacifism was difficult. His first course of action, by nature, was not overt rebellion against the authorities of his times, either human and vampire. It was as I always suspected though…just like when our existence had been threatened before, he'd questioned if there wasn't another way and upon finding there was none, he'd done what was necessary. He would do so this time as well, and it unsettled me. I was used to the constant, peaceful nature of Carlisle, and to hear him contemplating overt rebellion troubled me.

Bella and Tanya were playing chess with Nessie, Jacob at her side. I'd been enjoying the quiet family time, but rose from the floor beside Bella and began to move to the study where I saw my father with Eleazar , his hands steepled, contemplating the images on his computer screens.

"Edward?" Bella said softly, tugging on the leg of my sweats, stopping me. I smirked softly and nodded so that she knew that she was speaking to me. "Where are you going?"

"To speak with Carlisle, Love. I'll be back."

"Edward!" Tanya's voice came quickly, causing me to look at her. "I'm not staying with you and Bella in your room tonight. I'm all up on this new part of you, but even I have to draw a line sometimes." _Unless you are proposing a threesome, _she sent quietly adding lurid visions of the three of us tangled together. When I burst out in a sharp retort of laughter, her smile broadened. _Hey there!_ she said quickly. _It's nice to see you back. _She was such a handful, purposely being irreverent to see if it really was me.

Bella smirked, knowing that there was obviously some sort of inner conversation going on and nudged

Eleazar sat beside my father, grimly looking at the screen that displayed the pictures of my progress. My cousin was outraged as he saw the images for the first time. I stopped dead still when I saw the images on the first screen as Carlisle transitioned between them. It would seem that Emmett had snapped a few with his cell phone in the clearing just outside Volterra and then again on the plane. If I thought I looked horrific now, it was in no way a comparison to what I'd been then. Hollow, dead black eyes stared out from the up close facial shot on the screen. The dirty grey wool blanket I'd pulled around me hid parts of my face, but what could be seen was garish. A skeleton covered in sickly skin; skin pulled tightly in unrelenting cruelty. Carlisle's shots were interspersed along with pictures of me from before. The wedding shot of Bella and myself caught my attention, and I laid my finger on the screen just above it.

Seeing that I was "aware," Carlisle reached with his foot to capture another stool, bringing it to his side. "Son, join us."

I sat gently, watching his fingers fly over the left screen rearranging everything in the presentation that was being crafted. The initial pictures told a tale, I saw - of my life before Bella, my happiness finding her, and Nessie. I tapped on the right screen where a list of files was displayed and Carlisle opened a specific one to display on the screen. The words were stark white against a black background.

"_I'm so glad this could be resolved without violence. My friend, Carlisle – how pleased I am to call you friend again! I hope there are no hard feelings. I know you understand the strict burden that our duty places on our shoulders."_

"_Leave in peace, Aro."_

"_Of course, Carlisle. I am so sorry to earn your disapproval, my dear friend. Perhaps, in time, you will forgive me."_

"_Perhaps, in time, if you prove a friend to us again."_

The last words that had been exchanged between our covens the day of the confrontation on New Year's Eve. Words between men who truly had been friends at one time. Aro had never recovered from Carlisle choosing to leave centuries ago, and he'd blamed my father for Eleazar making the same decision just years later.

"Part Friends." I murmured a few of the words I'd thrown at Aro just before Alice came to us with Nahuel.

Carlisle gasped. "That's right!" He inserted my words, and then he typed out Aro's response to me.

"_And we would part in peace, good friends once again?"_

_Of course, my young friend. Nothing would please me more._

He'd added them just below the most haunting of my airplane pictures.

With friends like these, who truly did need enemies? The message was simple but clear.

"Dad. Not sure." The words ripped out of my chest, causing him to turn slightly and look at me in inquiry. "I don't want anyone hurt. It's over."

I shook with the level of control I had to expend in order to get the full sentences out. The monster wanted to rip into Aro and Caius. I wanted my family safe. The conflict between the two desires was wearing me out.

As if he was the mind reader, Carlisle looked at me and said the words I knew were coming. "We'll never be safe. He'll continue coming after us, attempting to pick us off one by one. You said it yourself after the confrontation." He paused for a long moment, then went on, "I never would have imagined myself saying this, Edward, but we have to take a stand."

The family had moved into the study, joining us, and I felt Bella place her hand on my shoulder…Nessie crawling into my lap. Jacob came to stand by us, and for the moment I let Tanya cozy in by Seth "innocently" on one of the couches She delighted in the heat emanating off my young friend.

"Carlisle, what do you have planned?" Bella asked.

My father turned back to the two screens…the light of them playing in an eerie way across his pale face. He spoke evenly. "The witnesses are the key. The Volturi know that we are too evenly matched. A war between our covens would decimate them as well as us. The witnesses are their strength, but last time many of those the Volturi summoned saw Aro's true nature. These images will remind them."

He growled subtly and the sound coming out of Carlisle was so surprising that the monster called back. The sound of the two of us being feral was odd…disconcerting. My father turned and nodded at me and then glanced at the rest of our family and cousins before returning his eyes to the haunting images on the screens. "I told him that we would be informing our friends and allies. I mean to keep my word."

"What did you finally decide to write, Carlisle?" Rosalie asked from Emmett's side.

He picked up the sheets of paper, and I could see his elegant handwriting across it. He turned slightly so that he faced the individuals watching him. But just before he would have spoken, I heard distant thoughts coming closer.

"Wait!" I murmured. "Company."

Seth and Jacob went to look out the window of the study thinking the wolves were approaching, but then the soft steps of immortals came from out front as we heard steps coming up the stairs to the front door of our house.

"One and two," I said softly.

"Huh?" Emmett responded, but Jacob's eyes widened and then narrowed in deep disgust.

"Oh hell no, not those two," he spat.

Carlisle's eyes widened, as did Eleazar's. In a flash we all raced down to the first floor, where the two dark-suited vampires stood just outside the glass doors.

"Young changeling…don't be so happy to see us," Stefan murmured at Jacob standing in the rear by Nessie, as he stepped through the doorway, making himself at home as if he lived here. Jacob snorted. Vladimir grinned in his eerie manner as he walked in behind Stefan.

"We came as soon as possible, Carlisle…" Vladimir repeated silkily and smoothly, using the almost exact words they'd used in their first visit to us. "Word travels." He looked to me at my father's side, and it took a moment for recognition to occur. When it did, his dark clear burgundy eyes gleamed with anger and then hope.

A similarly stunned Stefan forced out the question I knew they both wanted to know. "Is it too much to hope that this time you will challenge them?"

At Carlisle's decisive answer, a flame ignited in the two. "Excellent, because there are many nomads and covens making their way here now for your directions."

At Jasper's and Garrett's gasps of astonishment and Jacob's deep, furious growl, Vladimir at least announced, "Don't worry; they've been well forewarned of the Cullen rules. The humans of the Pacific Northwest are probably safer than any throughout the world. They will not feed within several hundred miles of this house."

"What is your plan?" Stefan asked Carlisle rapidly, not even allowing the inference that anyone would listen to dictates from us to settle.

Carlisle stared at the two ancients for a long moment then spoke harshly. "I want to strip them of their power. I want to ruin him," Carlisle snarled of Aro.

My family and cousins stared at Carlisle in shock, unable to believe that the pacifist in him would desire the destruction of the Volturi. The monster in me roared in pleasure at the thought.

"Naughty, naughty," Stefan cackled. "Can I kill him?" The maniacal glee he experienced at the thought made Jasper sway.

Carlisle's elegant shrug was his only answer, and I saw the excitement in the Romanians increase exponentially. "This time!" Vladimir hissed, and it almost looked like he was going to break out in dance.

Stefan went to step closer to us and the monster reared his head, growling in warning. It was a deep and dark sound, spreading out through the room and making even my brothers twitch. The dark headed man froze and assessed me again. A look of such sublime pleasure crossed his face that it confused me…until I heard his thoughts and words. "Definitely this time, Vladimir! Definitely this time!"

~DS~

"Your plan has merit Carlisle," Vladimir murmured to our gathering in the large living room after Carlisle filled the two in on the rescue mission, the outlines of the plan and his previous words with Aro on the plane. "Break the ties that allow them to manipulate us and the house of cards will start to fall. For it is really just a dance of posturing for him. Yes, he has power in the way of the gifted vampires he controls, and the strings that he pulls amongst various individual vampires and covens, power that we discredited during our attempts to over throw them, but that is really all it is…control."

Then Stefan spoke as soon as Vladimir paused, smoothly taking up the discussion. "Not all of those in the guard are loyal by choice. Chelsea doesn't just sway Marcus. She influences others within the Volturi to strengthen their allegiances. Given the opportunity to either be free, or serve another, some would choose differently. Destroy her, and the guard will collapse. Destroy Aro, Caius, and Marcus, and the Volturi will be leaderless; the head of the snake cut off." He smiled softly but with malice. "Once they're destroyed, the vampire world will need a new leader."

"I do not plan to serve as leader, Stefan."

"Then what do you propose, Carlisle?" Vladimir asked, picking up the conversation. "Our world cannot be without supervision. There has to be order and law, lest we be exposed to humans. Stefan and I never doubted the need for leaders. Aro felt challenged by the wealth and the power we were accumulating; and yes, we wanted to take it from them."

I listened to Carlisle's thoughts as he forced himself to consider the consequences of the rebellion and destruction he was plotting.

"You considered yourself gods; we will not subjugate humans," I murmured darkly, forcing out the full sentence as I saw the memories pour richly through their minds as they remembered their early history. Human sacrifices, decadence, and excesses.

"Ah…young one. We don't expect that now, in this century, with human civilization so advanced now. Then, thousands of years ago, it was accepted, even expected. Humans needed to see the proof of supernatural, of things larger and stronger than them. Priorities change…"

I saw them then…their mates lost so long ago during the wars…and gasped in pain. They were as broken, as damaged as Marcus.

Marcus…

Secrets…

House of cards…

My mind spun as distant thoughts and alien memories began filtering into the fore.

"We can destroy ourselves by cynicism and disillusion, just as effectively as bombs," I muttered almost inaudibly to myself, remembering a quote from Kenneth Clark, a famed British writer and broadcaster.

Both Vladimir's and Stefan's gazes suddenly became intent on us, while Carlisle looked on in an encouraging manner. The rest of the family waited, staring at the monster and me. Even Jacob was silent, Nessie sitting on his lap.

"Keep going, Edward." My father's voice was smooth and comforting. It was what I needed to settle me, and the monster needed to give me control.

He knew that I was pondering something, simply by my mannerisms…hand in hair, other gripping Bella's. I was hunched over, slightly rocking as secrets stolen and absorbed by my mind during months of captivity threatened to overwhelm me. Aro's voice and mind roused the monster, and he began snarling, teeth gnashing as Aro's and Caius' thoughts echoed in our memories. To be so brilliant, Aro was incredibly unwise at times, did not control his thoughts as well as he intended, or perhaps, he'd never expected me to survive. Had he thought through the complications of his laxity? I hoped not.

The monster danced in glee as he saw me struggle with the words, knowing I'd already made the decision.

"House of cards...what if the pinnacle falls?" I pressed out.

"It takes the others down with it," Jasper interjected swiftly, standing as he felt the upsurge of my emotions, and then came forward to kneel in front of me. "Edward, c'mon brother, tell me!" I heard his thoughts; he knew I was attempting to relay something very important.

I spoke tersely: "Aro…he and Caius killed Didyme."

The monster reared into control as the immortals around us exploded in a frenzy. Grabbing Bella, Nessie, and Tanya he pushed them into a corner, crouching in front of them with a snarl on his face to warn any others away. He was an idiot. No one cared about him at the moment.

No, there were more important things to focus on.

A means to bring down the triumvirate had just been handed into very capable hands.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts!<strong>

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA!**

**To crmcneill, so…we see the beginning of the plan we talked about over a year ago. Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance. Can I please find a way to save Marcus…purty please?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Hope you are still enjoying my little foray into MentalWard! One of my betas has issued my readers a challenge…tell us how you think Marcus can be realistically saved?**

* * *

><p>"It's fine, Edward. Nessie will be safe here with us. I'll watch over her myself. Now go," Tanya forced through her teeth. The succubus growled at us when the monster had become agitated at the idea of leaving them at the house. "I've said this before, and I'll say it again, I AM NOT GOING TO YOUR COTTAGE WITH YOU!"<p>

She shouted the last half of the sentence at us, her golden eyes darkening to black with her determination. The monster paced in frustration. Only when Bella moved to link our hands did he calm.

"Son, go get some rest with Bella. I'll personally watch over Nessie and Tanya," Carlisle said, his voice calm and firm.

The monster struggled to accept Carlisle's suggestion, and I wanted to laugh out loud when my father arched his golden eyebrow at us, his look one of imperious demand. It was quite convincing, and suddenly, in a flash of blinding clarity, I could see my father as the leader of our world. Given the right motivations, he would shine - there was no doubt.

Jumping up from where she sat between Rosalie and Emmett, Nessie ran toward us and leapt up into our arms. Rubbing her cheek along ours, she said softly, "Daddy, I'll be here tomorrow. Go get something to eat with Mama, and I'll see you in the morning. If it makes you feel better, I'll make Aunt Tanya stay with me while I sleep."

Jacob actually gave a low growl at the idea, and I had to laugh myself. I followed his thoughts as he processed the situation, and knew that even with the camaraderie we'd established during the New Years Day confrontation with the Volturi, Jacob hadn't been able to extend his acceptance of "bloodsuckers" to anyone other than our immediate family. He didn't like having to associate with the traditional vampires, which ran roughly against his grain and duty. He felt deeply the call to be Nessie's protector through their bond. He wasn't going anywhere with the Denali cousins present and he was deeply wary with Dracula 1 and 2 in the house given their reputation and cunning. The latter point was also the basis of the disquiet the monster was feeling. I trusted the Denali's implicitly, which had been the reason I'd been so upset when they didn't come to help us during the newborn battle. Vladimir and Stefan, not so much, but I could handle them because their thoughts were clear. They didn't hold any animosity toward our family, and they certainly weren't about to do anything to sidetrack their schemes for revenge against the Volturi. Our family was the cornerstone in their plans. They considered us, for the moment, indispensible.

So when Bella pulled at us, I forced him to walk forward, one step after another toward the door. As soon as the cool air hit our face, it was all me…wanting to steal into the forest, to feel Bella running at my side, to take down a deer (or if I was lucky another mountain lion) to walk into our cottage and feel "home."

"Carlisle, are you certain it is safe for him to be traversing through the woods by himself," Stefan asked in his smooth voice from behind me, his concern true and clear. Which surprised me. Maybe there were some redeeming qualities to the two Ancient ones after all.

I heard my father chuckle just before Bella and I jumped the river. Then he addressed the two ancients carefully and with respect. "Yes, being free is exactly what he needs right now. When he gets back tomorrow, we'll see what other secrets my son…" he said that with pride "…was able to steal from the Volturi. I do believe that Edward may just possess all we need to know to orchestrate our plan."

To me he simply said, _"Go rest…or something."_ He was of course prescribing a little more of "Bella therapy." _"Tomorrow, I may need to push you."_

Jasper was a little less pleasant. _"Tomorrow morning, 8 a.m., sharp. Come prepared, Edward."_

God love my sister. _"Don't worry Edward. I'll keep Jasper occupied. Stay at the cottage as long as you like."_

It was an instinctual reaction to want to rub my eyes at how she expected to distract him, but honestly, just knowing that this is exactly what Alice would do, made me feel…cherished. My family was being extraordinarily supportive; I wanted to rage that they had to deal with the monster at all.

Laughter tore out of me when Bella used my distraction to shove me into a tree. Her laughter floated back to me as I righted and took after her. The forest flew by me as I blurred around firs, spruces, and pines chasing my elusive bride. I was letting her stay ahead, feeling the joy of stretching my legs and enjoying the freedom simply because we could. Just as I was about to grab her by the waist, the scent of the deer hit me, and unwilling to really waste the time to find anything different, I veered toward the small herd, hearing Bella follow.

Without finesse, I launched myself at the largest one, taking it down with ease. I heard Bella do the same, but then I realized she wasn't feeding. Over the strong muscles of the deer, my eyes met hers, and I saw that she was watching me, her eyes as black as night. The rich, tangy blood slid down my throat as I effortlessly drew it into my mouth, but my attention was on my mate, as she held the other deer in her arms, ready for me. The monster attempted to stir, to prepare for a moment of rough sex on the ground amidst the carnage of our feeding, but I was determined that this time would not be about him.

Shoving the drained carcass from me, I blurred to Bella, connecting our lips even as the deer struggled and kicked hopelessly between us.

"Share," I murmured against her lips.

"But I'm not thirsty, and I…"

"Share!" I snarled harshly, pressing into her with a little more force.

"Ok…" she agreed as soon as I released her from the possessive kiss I'd given her. Her eyes were slanted in expectation.

Taking the deer from her, I knelt, placing my hands on the frantic animal's head and shoulder to hold it to the ground. "Drink," I jerked my head toward it.

Her lips quirked as she knelt and then gathered her hair to one side before bowing toward the deer and placing her teeth right at the artery. Looking up at me from under her eyelashes, she licked her lips, causing every instinct within me to flare. I wanted her…now. She bit into the warm flesh and even full she still moaned at the taste of the blood as it burst across her tongue. Placing my lips just inches from hers, I did as she'd intended, pulling deep tugs of the liquid. She was drawing only small tastes of it to satisfy me, exercising her strong self-control, so I felt full before I'd even finished.

But for now, I snatched my wife to me, licking the vestiges of the deer's blood from her lips. Her hands fell to my chest and began working the buttons of my shirt. I nibbled down her neck as she spread her fingers across my chest, scratching her nails at my skin. When she grew tired of the process, she ripped strips of fabric from me, growling deeply as we devoured one another.

When she placed her hands on the waist band of my jeans, I growled out, "NO! I want you at our house."

"Edward?" she squeaked, obviously surprised that I was in control.

I smiled into her lips before blurring to my feet and taking off at my fastest speed toward the cottage. Bella used the trip time to tease the curve of my neck with her teeth. The closer we got, the harder it was to not just take her on the ground. The blood from the deer flowed through me, giving me strength, and Bella made it difficult to concentrate on anything but her with the way she utilized her tongue across my skin. The rasp of it dragging across me caused shivers of lust to race throughout my body. The monster purred at the feeling, stretching a little, readying himself to wrestle control. In response, I roared at him, clearly letting him know that tonight was mine.

As if by magic, the small opening in the woods that embraced our fairy-tale cottage appeared before me, and I actually stumbled at the wash of emotions at seeing it. My dreams and remembrances…the ones that had kept me initially sane while I was under Aro's control…this place had played heavily into them. I could easily imagine the distant sounds of the woods and the fluttering heartbeat of my daughter from the room across the hall. I could smell the rich wet soil and fragrant evergreens around us and hear the distant thump of the pads of the wolves' paws as they ran occasional perimeter tracks close by. I could see the rose bushes that Esme had planted in our small wonderland garden and smell their heady scents. It had been my "happy place" as some would call it. Even knowing how important it was, nothing prepared me for how I actually felt seeing it. It had only been a year, but it seemed like centuries.

Home!

Barely controlling my eagerness, I managed not to rip the door off. I was met with the smell of beeswax, the warmth of the stove that someone had stoked for us, and the scents of Bella and Nessie. I could even smell my own scent, albeit faded somewhat. It was heaven, but my focus went to other matters grabbing Bella's blouse and ripping it from her before the door even closed.

"Edward?" she gasped in a surprised tone as we made it to our bedroom.

As her back hit the stone floor, I answered. "Yes, My Love."

Her startled cry of astonishment echoed throughout the room, but any further words were lost as I used my teeth to rip the rest of her clothes off.

~DS~

Sunlight poured through the windows and streamed over the bed, highlighting Bella's skin. She sparkled, the reflections playing all over our bedroom walls and ceiling. Sprawled almost bonelessly across me, she idly traced soft patterns across my chest.

"Edward…"

"Hmmm…"

"Last night, it…it was amazing." She leaned up on her elbows and looked down into my face. Her hair created almost a shield for us, falling in silky curtains around my face. "Do you think…um…can we…" She struggle with the words. "Damnit, this is one of those times I _wished_ you could read my mind." Then her eyes widened. She focused upon my face, her eyes half-lidded, and as had happened the day after the Volturi left us the first time, I was suddenly granted the most beautiful of gifts…her thoughts.

The beast, whom I'd kept at bay during the night, rose from his slumber; he was attempting to find a weak spot in my defenses. He'd had no interest until this point of any other thoughts surrounding us…until Bella. She was his weak spot as much as mine. He wanted to know her mind, to stake out his place within it. It was territorial for him. I was rendered almost speechless by what I heard.

_Edward…I don't know how to talk about this…this dichotomy you are experiencing. You were upset by the other's observations, so I'm almost afraid to speak as well for fear that you'll disappear on me again. But…I need you to see how I feel. _

What followed were distinct images of me over the days since they'd rescued me from Volterra. Even though I'd been a starved wraith, a raving lunatic, and a territorial bastard, all she saw was me…not him. My protectiveness, my ferocity, my desire to protect her and Nessie. My love for Carlisle and respect for his guidance. They were all equal parts in the man she saw me to be.

"_Please don't get upset and leave me…I just need you to know that I accept it all. Each part of you_…" she left off.

The beast sniffed at her, drawing her scent in and assessing that for the moment she was satiated, he calmed. I growled at him, wanting him to leave us alone.

"See, just me speaking about it upsets you," she said in a strangled voice.

I shook my head and realized that he'd retreated, leaving us alone. But his faint snicker of satisfaction, over the fact that she'd basically told me she loved him as well, lingered.

"Edward, Baby, come back to me," she murmured softly, leaning down to place soft kisses across my cheeks, nose, eyes, and lips.

I softly captured her lips with mine and funneled every ounce of love and adoration I could into the kiss I gave her. It wasn't meant to be one of passion, but one of connection, and she sobbed feeling it.

"Much better," she grinned when we finally broke apart. Sitting to my side, she brushed my hair back. "I'll get us some clothes if you want to get the shower ready."

"Ok…"

Before she crawled off the bed, she leaned over for another quick kiss. "We'll clean the room up when we come back tonight," she giggled, her eyes circling the area and taking in the destruction I'd caused. The dresser was in shambles from where I'd thrown her up against it, the small sofa cracked in two, and one of the large panes of glass that made up the wall overlooking our garden was going to need replacing. A crack started at the floor and ran up it, breaking out into multiple jagged lines. Bella had accidentally hit it when she flung her hand out. I'd wanted to take her with the moonlight filtering over her…and so I had…several times. I'd been a maniac, and the ferocity by which I'd made love to her had stunned and scared me at the same time.

It was a good thing, my rational self observed dryly, that Emmett couldn't see the damage. I'd never hear the end of it from him.

Her smile was one of great satisfaction, and she wrinkled her nose in an adorable manner at me when she came back to catch me grinning at her. "I know that behavior like that would have originally had you feeling guilty and checking me over for damage and all that…but…if you revert back to that old 'worry-wort' behavior, I am going to let Tanya kick your butt for me."

She attempted a fierce glare, but the love radiating from her ruined the effect. When she stretched, the strong muscles of her body flexing, I couldn't help but quickly peruse her to make sure there were no signs of abuse. The monster reared checking his mate out as well. He chuckled at me when she rose to her feet and undulated sensuously in front of us. The growl that rumbled throughout the room was all mine, and they both knew it.

"Just had to remind you," she said in an impish manner. "I caught you checking me out." She squealed when I went to rise from the bed, which was the only remaining piece of furniture in the room that wasn't damaged. Racing into the closet, she ordered, "SHOWER!"

I laughed. I could have her again with the crock of my finger…it was clear by the breathy tone in her order. The monster rumbled in satisfaction, and I wondered why until the destroyed room became the focus of his thoughts. He was pleased with my behavior of the previous evening. As I railed at him, he completely ignored me, settling as if he was going to take a nap. Stomping my foot slightly, I turned in an effort to ignore his complacent mood.

Moving into the bathroom, I collected two fluffy towels before going over to the tile and glass masterpiece of a shower. Esme, Alice, and Rose had outdone themselves when they'd designed the bathroom for the cottage. It was an area of tranquil peace and beauty. I turned on the water so that it would heat up and then moved to the double Italian marble sink to grab a brush and ponytail holder for Bella's hair. But what I saw, when I caught my reflection, stopped me.

It was me! The person looking back at me in the mirror.

I was still thinner than normal, and my face was more haggard, but even I could see the differences in my body from the wraith my parents and siblings had rescued. At this rate and with daily feedings, within days, I'd be back to the stature I had before being locked away by Aro. It was shocking, so much so that I froze. I still felt so out of control with the monster's thoughts still bombarding me that to see that my body was almost completely healed seemed surreal.

My ponderings were broken when two hands skimmed along my waist and moved to my front to embrace me. Bella's lips feathered across my back.

"Amazing, isn't it. You look so much better now than before, Edward. We can see if we can find another herd of deer on the way back, if you think you can drink."

The venom that flooded my mouth at the thought was enough answer. Already I was thirsty again…my body using the surplus of blood from the daily feedings to quickly heal at least the physical part of me. How miraculous would it have been if the same life-giving sustenance could have washed away the monster at the same time? He snickered in the background at my thoughts, indolent, as if he had no cares in the world. I wanted to hiss at him, but my energy was still focused on the man in front of me, and the beauty that had stepped to his side.

"I thought…" her words were strained in the extreme for a few minutes at the sorrow in her voice "…I thought I'd never be able to touch you again. The agony…I can't even describe it, Edward." Her eyes were glazed, and I knew that they burned without our ability to produce tears.

"Don't cry," I said to her. "I'm here now."

"Thank God!" she forced out with a sob, and then she wrapped her arms around me, bringing us together for a tight reassuring hug.

It would have been easy to get lost in her embrace again, but it was well past the 8 a.m. deadline that Jasper had given me, and even Alice would only be able to distract him so long.

"Jasper threatened me."

"Ha! I bet he did. What time did he tell you to present yourself this morning for the inquisition?" she asked. I hadn't even had to tell her about the nature of his threat; she just knew.

A harsh bark of humor stole out from me. "8 o'clock."

Her laughter filled the area around us, because it was significantly past that time already from the way the sun shone down through the windows in our bedroom. "Good for you, Edward. He needs to understand that certain _needs_ of ours take precedence." She patted my chest gently and then pulled me into the hot water.

She was still chuckling as we made our way toward the house, having taken a leisurely break to snag another deer. One was all I needed, and we made sure to go back to where we'd left the two from the night before to dispose of them. It was when we neared the river that I heard the multiple mental voices coming out of the house.

"More have arrived," I told her.

"Who?" she asked quietly.

"Bella!" Zafrina's voice echoed across the way before I could reply.

Bella's smile at hearing her friend's voice was worth a million dollars. She grabbed my hand and pulled me forward, her excitement making her feet fly.

~DS~

Sensing danger, the monster resumed control as soon as we neared the house. Zafrina, Senna, Kachiri, Huilen, and Nahuel had come, compliments of Alice's early telephone call to them. Nahuel kept a phone on hand for important calls; the others preferred not to have such a device. I could see from their thoughts that Carlisle had already shown them the video that he and Esme had spent all night refining, and then downloading into the multitude of mp3s Alice had ordered.

Even though I looked much better than they'd expected, the images of my tortured being were burned into their memories…as Carlisle had planned. His video presentation was compelling and penetrating.

_Friends,_

_Our family has always implicitly followed the laws of our kind, as dictated by the Volturi, seeking only to live as we wish, peacefully, without offense. And yet, the protection of a life lived in accordance with the law was not sufficient; the Volturi chose to launch an attack on us, intent solely on acquiring the talented among us. Only by the witness and testimony of our innocence by many of you was our family spared. The Volturi left with the promise that our friendships had been restored._

_They did not honor their agreement. Now, I doubt they ever intended to._

_A year ago, my son was captured and tortured, solely for Aro's and Caius' pleasure. Only recently were we able to recover Edward. They attempted to force him to mate with human females as an experiment to see if more hybrids would result. When he resisted their plans, they left him in his cell to starve. _

_My son's sole sin was to fall in love with his singer and mate. If my son can be tortured for such instinctual behavior, if my family can be hunted and confronted, if the Volturi can disregard promises made before a legion of witnesses, if a man I once called my closest friend can turn so fully upon me…what will be your offense? What will be the reason they espouse for coming after you and yours?_

_Henceforth, my coven does not recognize the dictates of the lawless and faithless. We will continue to follow the rules that have served our kind well for millennia. Those that would join us in maintaining fair and altruistic governance are welcome. _

_Carlisle Cullen_

I heard Carlisle's message repeating in their heads. It was inflammatory, and it would ensure that the Volturi would come. I didn't know whether to hope it would, or that Aro would ignore it. I doubted he would though…he would see it as a direct challenge.

Vladimir and Stefan stood motionless near the windows, until Bella and I came in. Seeing me, they began walking forward.

_Edward, we mean no harm. _ Stefan wanted me to know their thoughts. I knew; the monster wasn't so sure about the ancients.

Jasper, however, was pissed. He purposely looked at his watch, as if he needed it to tell the time. It was almost noon.

Carlisle intercepted them, meeting Bella and I first. "Edward…" he was soft but firm "…would you be willing to sit with me. I would like to see if you are able to give me anything further that might help us."

_You don't have to, if it is too much. I'll understand. _This he sent me personally.

Immediately, our concern went to where Nessie and Tanya were, and when I caught the Denali beauty's eyes, she rolled hers at me.

"Are you serious!" she hissed. "Edward Cullen…"

The growl that came out of my chest was loud and unforgiving. It was a demand.

"For the love of…" she snarled, and then stood up to go by Jacob, picking Nessie up from his lap.

Nessie calmed her by sending pictures of me smiling and relaxed.

"Yeah, Little One." Tanya retorted to my daughter. "That is the only reason I'm going along with this. Contrary to everyone else's opinions that we need to go easy, Mr. Multiple Personality and I are going to have a talk here soon."

She hissed subtly at me when she came to stand by Bella. I snarled back, and the monster was quieted by her obedience.

"Reason," I said to her, and her stunned expression was mirrored by everyone else's.

"Well there better be…" she grumbled when she recovered "…hopefully you and Bella seriously discussed my proposition of last night?" She made sure to make the question end on a hopeful tone, and Bella snorted at her, earning a real smile from Tanya.

Nahuel watched us closely from the corner of the room. He was very upset with my appearance. His sisters and father had disappeared, and seeing me, he feared the worst. He could care less about Joham, but his sisters, he truly cared for, and had told Aro as witness. I didn't have good news for him or his aunt, who stood beside him. Zafrina smiled at me, Senna at her side. Kachiri stood between the two groups.

"_Edward, we're here. We can do this again, if needed. More are coming this time."_ Zafrina reassured me. I could see that she was furious with what had happened, but also afraid of the Volturi seeking her out. She had expended great effort in the centuries of her existence to keep herself and her coven below the radar of the ruling family, and with my capture and imprisonment, feared that outcome.

"Edward?" Carlisle called softly again, bringing my wandering attention back around. He motioned to a chair he'd placed close to his laptop. He was going to take notes, it seemed.

All eyes were trained on me, and it made the monster nervous. Bella sensed my agitation though and pulled my hand into hers. "One moment, Carlisle," she said quickly. As the others glanced around nervously at each other, Bella smoothed her hand over my face. "Remember, it's okay to feel either part at anytime. But we're your family, and no one is going to hurt you here."

The monster grabbed her arm and turned slightly to nibble at her wrist. Bella chattered her teeth at him in answer. Ignoring him, I murmured softly at her skin, "I'm ready."

"Excellent," Jasper announced.

He and Garrett walked forward, Emmett right behind them. The monster attempted to retreat backwards, but I ignored the desire, moving instead toward them so that we met at the temporary grouping of furniture Carlisle had set up. Knowing I needed her support, Bella came to stand behind me, and ironically, Tanya followed, placing Nessie in my lap.

Jasper sat on an ottoman directly in front of me.

"Ok to help," I told him, knowing I could definitely use some of his calmness. I was quite aware that everyone within the house were friends and family, but it was difficult to focus while I needed to keep the monster's feral behaviors under control. Our skin was literally twitching at the sense of so many vampires. The monster didn't feel comfortable; the fewer, the better.

"Give him the mojo, Jasper. It'll make him feel better," Seth suggested without reservation. He grinned at me when I looked across the room at him. As I'd said before, he was the most compassionate and gentlest soul I'd ever met. My lips quirked as I shook my head at him in good nature, but as requested, I huffed as the sweet feeling of calmness saturate my very pores.

Jasper was ready to tear into my worst nightmares, but he was still my brother, and he loved me.

"The information you gave us last night was quite shocking Edward," he began. "For purposes of strategy the question begs to be asked…why did Aro destroy Didyme?"

Well, he was right to the point.

The two Romanians stared at me intently; the answer was vital, for her destruction was the trigger for the wars between them and the Volturi fifteen hundred years ago. I could almost taste their enmity.

"Marcus and Didyme were leaving." I paused grappling with the monster. He wanted to roar at the memory of Aro tearing his own sister to pieces. The words became harder. "Tired of the intrigue. Wanted to live apart."

Stefan and Vladimir hissed. My words meant that before Marcus was ensnared by Corin and Chelsea, that his loyalty to his "brothers" was already wavering. The Romanians believed that the ties would be destroyed when Marcus found out who was responsible for Didyme's death. I believed them to be right. Marcus wasn't a ruthless or soulless person. He'd not been around for my torture, although, he had been in the castle. He was just too "bound" by Chelsea to care about anything, totally enervated.

Carlisle's heartache almost overwhelmed Jasper and me. Marcus had been his friend while he was in Volterra. He'd shared a degree of camaraderie with Marcus, having wanted a companion himself. To believe that Aro had caused his own brother's pain was incomprehensible to my father. He quickly realized why Aro would do what he did.

"Aro wouldn't give up Marcus' power," Carlisle interjected. "His gift is too crucial to the Volturi's defense. As we all know, Marcus can sense what ties to exploit, and which ones are most likely to fail. Aro uses that knowledge to focus Jane and Alec."

The monster broke through growly loudly at the mention of the witch twins. Pain and agony was greatly associated with them. I heard my teeth grinding as I clenched my jaws together, and the sound echoed throughout the room.

Jasper said what the others were already thinking. "Well, I guess that answers the question as to whether Alec and Jane might be ones to leave once the binds are torn."

"Corin…Chelsea…gone."

Jasper turned his head in a quizzical nature at us. Corin and Chelsea were not the ones he would have focused on first. "Why?"

"Chelsea binds everyone…including Corin. Corin makes them happy to be there." The monster wasn't fighting me here. The two women weren't a perceived physical threat to him. His mind revolved around the here and now, the things that could be touched, not the metaphysical nature of psychological welfare.

"WHAT!" Garrett finally broke into the conversation. "Are you trying to say that if we take out Corin that some of them won't be so happy about belonging to the Dictator?"

"Chelsea too!" I growled, needing them to understand the binds she forced on those in the Volturi.

"Because she keeps Corin bound to them…or Corin could start her own revolution…and tie everyone to her through the trust and love she can engender within them."

I nodded. "Corin keeps Chelsea excited to do it. Dominoes…"

Jasper glanced quickly to Garrett. "Knock down one and she will hit the other, which will start the chain reaction."

Carlisle rapidly typed beside Jasper, having given Jasper the lead.

Ironically, Emmett was the first to be brave enough to ask. "Edward…Bro…the guards, which ones might leave given the opportunity?" He'd been sizing up the ones he knew, particularly Felix, wondering who should be his adversary in a battle if needed. Emmett relished the idea of a fight. His simple enthusiasm about the newborn battle was an example of his competitive nature. But even he knew that fighting with a bunch of ill-trained vampires was nothing in comparison to the Volturi. He wanted to live a long and fruitful life with Rose. She'd found happiness in being a surrogate mother to Nessie, and he was ready to enjoy the new found joy.

This was probably the hardest, because the guard had all been used against us at some time during our incarceration and subsequent torture. The beast raged, and I did with him. The beast felt that all of them should be destroyed for what they did to him. I didn't even realize I'd stood and raced across the room to pace away from them, until Nessie put her hands to my cheeks sending images of our cottage, her resting in my arms before the beehive stove, in order to calm me. I turned back to my family and the small grouping that had already come to our aid and growled out…even though I wanted to snap along with the monster… "Felix, Demetri."

Emmett's "Excellent!" echoed thoughout the room, emphasized by the stunned silence of all the others.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts!<strong>

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA!**

**To crmcneill, so…we see the beginning of the plan we talked about over a year ago. Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance. Can I please find a way to save Marcus…purty please.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Hope you are still enjoying my little foray into MentalWard! Okay, just to let the concerned readers know again...NO! Edward doesn't have a thing for Tanya. Just trust me.**

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><p>"Edward, may I come closer?" Esme's gentle voice asked. She stood just a few feet from me in our living room, her light gold eyes pleading.<p>

Nessie had finally won her freedom from my possessive grasp, going back over to sit between Seth and Jacob. Bella watched me from across the room near the fireplace, her eyes gentle but focusing intensely on me. As I'd paced at the far side of the room, my love had given me space as she spoke with Zafrina. Carlisle, Jasper, Garrett, Emmett, and the Romanians stood or sat on the couches reviewing and dissecting the information I'd just given them. We could all hear their low voices as their conversation ebbed and flowed, the oddly smooth silky voices of the Romanians' contrasting with Jasper's cadenced military voice and Carlisle's resolute responses. I wasn't surprised to see that Nahuel had inched closer to them as he stood in the doorway of the hall. I could see that he desired greatly to know what happened to his sisters and to a much lesser degree, to his sire, Joham. I needed to marshal my inner strength to tell him about his sisters, but I'd never been one who did well at delivering bad news…although some of what I said would most likely intrigue the others.

But for now, the woman who was for all intents and purposes my mother garnered my attention. I held out my hand to her as I stood up from where I sat and felt a familiar peace flow into me when she grabbed it. Looking over to see if Jasper was practicing his particular gift, I saw instead that he was fully focused on the information being discussed. It was just Esme…and our connection that provided the tranquility. She, with Carlisle, was the rock of our family and our refuge. The beast barely stirred, seeing the woman standing next to me. And then we began remembering our memories of the past eight decades together.

Friend… Mother…

These were the two strongest emotions that lay within me as I looked at Esme. The monster acknowledged and accepted these as part of him. I wanted to growl at him at the second observation. He had no right to my version of her. She heard the subtle hiss escape my lips and lifted her eyes, looking into mine before she questioned me.

"Edward?" I heard what she was asking.

"He called you Mom," I forced out.

"Who?"

"Monster."

Her smile was as deep as the ocean. "Well, I can be his mother too." He snickered at her words, but I forced him out of my thoughts. Her next words helped. "But right now, he needs to stand back and let me talk to you." I sneered back at him…Esme ruled our home. Carlisle might be the soul of the Cullen family, but Esme was the heart, and she wouldn't…couldn't…be denied by anyone. "Will you walk in the garden with me?"

I looked at Bella, hesitating very slightly. She smiled and nodded to me to go with Esme, before moving her eyes over to Nessie and Jake.

I moved Esme's hand so that her arm linked with mine before moving us toward the door that led outside.

"I don't know why I bother, knowing that everyone will hear all we say, but I at least wanted the sense of being alone," she indicated as soon as our feet touched the ground from the steps of the deck. She smiled softly, and I couldn't help but respond with the same. Her eyes glanced quickly over to me. "You look so much better today. Did you feed on the way here?"

I nodded and then pulled her a little closer into my side. Upon my return, I had been so wasted in body and feral in reaction that it'd both alarmed and enraged her greatly. Constantly scanning me to determine if I was okay, in need, if the thirst was starting to be too much. The flush of love I could sense from her coursed over me, making me brighten greatly…almost as much as Alice. Twin suns.

We started walking toward the line of trees, still silent. I sensed her desire to keep this conversation as private as possible, and I wondered at that.

"_You are worried about Carlisle."_ She spoke finally into my mind. At my slight nod of agreement, she continued. _"Edward, think back on his thoughts over the years. He knew it would come sooner or later. Our moves, our disguises…everything…they've been his way to avoid this conflict as long as possible, but if you ponder all the things he has done, they've also been in preparation. Aro has never let go of him, not really. It may have been centuries since he left, but Aro has never stopped wanting Carlisle as part of the Volturi. It was an insult to him that he couldn't seduce Carlisle to his ways. When Aro came here on New Year's Eve last year, he did covet you, Bella, and Alice for your exceptional gifts, but he also would have been pleased to obtain us all. He knew that having Carlisle under his control would insure our obedience to him. His schemes for Carlisle would have resumed as soon as he had us in that castle in Italy. He would have worked very hard to force us to abandon our lifestyle as we practice it today."_

She reached down to trace the prickly leaves of a holly bush. Her care of it was gentle…a direct example of her nature, the way that she'd handled us in the past.

_Aro knew that we wouldn't just leave you there." _Esme added. _"His starvation of you…it wasn't just a plan to watch your demise. He knew that Carlisle would give himself up before that happened, and he knew that Alice would see in enough time."_

She then surprised me with an image of Carlisle sobbing. He was sitting on their bed, leaned over with his elbows resting on his knees, his hands threaded through his hair. From Esme's eyes, I spied the carryon luggage resting on the floor, and then Alice barging through the door with a furious expression.

"_He was about to leave, against everything that Alice kept telling him He was letting his emotions overrule reason and Alice's visions. Had he gone, we would've all followed suit. Aro knew that_." Esme's eyes looked hard into my own._ "Your father lived more than two decades with that man. He was a favored son. Am I wrong to assume that Aro wanted him as much as you and the others?"_

I shook my head to let her know she was right in her introspection. Aro wanted us for our powers. But the reason he wanted Carlisle was even more potent…he wanted to subjugate Carlisle, to show the world what happens when you go against his desires. Gifts were important, but strictly in the sense that they helped bolster defense and offense. The sense that a pacifist vampire, the _Stregoni Benefici_, could forsake him and all that the Volturi stood for…that action held the potential to single-handedly destroy Aro's carefully constructed rule.

Esme nodded. _ "So your father knows that this moment, this point in time, is it. You and I are both very aware of his primary desire to find a peaceful solution to any circumstance. It is what makes your father so wonderful. But as much as we know that, we also know that he will do anything to protect us. We have to support him, Edward, even if you and I might want to live the life we've always known since he created us."_

A deep rumble of anger escaped my chest.

"_I know. But is there really a chance that Aro won't come?"_

I snarled and it was enough of an answer for her.

"_Exactly. So we fight, and in the process we let Carlisle raise this new part that he's kept bottled up within him. You know…his monster."_

I spun to face her, but she didn't startle at my actions, remaining perfectly still and composed. She gazed at me impassively and firmly, her mind echoing the same resolve that Carlisle displayed now.

"You…Bella…Alice…why!" I was letting her know that I was upset by the continued inferences that the monster was a part of me. Carlisle was just allowing a part of his being come into focus when it was needed.

"_Because we need you right now, Edward. Just telling us that Demetri and Felix could be our allies upset you. Time is short. Charlotte and Peter will most likely arrive this afternoon, and Jasper will be sending them out with the copies of the message we have composed. Stefan, Vladimir, and Zafrina all indicated that many more are on the way here. The vampire world needs to see us squarely behind him, supporting him…following him in the decisions he's made at this moment in time. I would never ask this of you, unless it was critical, but Edward, I need you to step up. I need you to stand with your father."_ Her eyes were soft, but sorrowful. _"I also wouldn't ask it if you if I didn't think you were capable."_

She moved closer to me and put her hand against my cheek. _"The day you returned from your rebellion against us so many decades ago…you wrestled the 'monster' into control, to live the life you desired." _Esme's lips firmed together_. "The day you ran to Alaska, you did what was necessary again to conquer the monster, so that you could be close to the woman that had already won your heart…even though you didn't know it at the time. No one has as much control as you; even Carlisle believes you are stronger than him. You both far outshine Aro, and you can do this. He needs you."_ She sent me a picture of Carlisle…of how he'd been bent over the papers in front of him as we left out the door for our talk. I saw what she wanted me to see…the empty space beside him where I should be.

Reaching out slowly, I placed my hands on her upper arms and pulled her to me to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Thank you," I whispered at her soft reprimand.

"You're welcome. I'm your mother; I'm supposed to be the one to point you in the right direction when needed," she said, grinning. "You are far stronger than you think, case in point that I'm already talking to you about this."

The monster hadn't even roused at Esme's directions to me…choosing to slumber in the background as if he was unconcerned. Didn't her words of subjugating him even make him nervous? Did he so seriously discount her and her directions, that they didn't even raise concern? He was naïve to discount my sire's mate. She was extremely brilliant and capable of manipulating anything to her needs…not that she was required to do so often.

"_And may I say…I also like it when Carlisle decides to let loose with a little of his inner beast. Bella seems to be…um…enjoying the benefits of that with you."_ She giggled softly seeing my face involuntarily jerk toward the house and my mate. A very low growl escaped my lips.

I was certain I would be blushing if I was human, remembering the night before. It wasn't as if Bella and I hadn't been aggressive in our love making before, but even I would admit there had always been a line I didn't want to cross, believing that it would be disrespectful to her. That line had been stomped on, erased, and obliterated with my actions of the previous night. It had been exhilarating.

"Edward, she's happy, and it is good to be alive, yes?"

I noticed how she didn't keep that silent and smirked at her. Devious, beloved woman. I turned us back toward the house. We'd been walking slowly during our conversation, and I saw that Carlisle was standing before one of the windows in the room with the other men, watching over us. I'd heard his thoughts, as clearly as I'd heard Esme's, but I'd focused on her. One would have thought he was watching me, to make sure that I didn't hurt her. But even without hearing his thoughts, I would have known the difference. His actions of the past spoke loud and clear…he was just happy to see us together and safe. When my eyes caught his, he smiled in a blinding manner and then turned back into the room.

"_See, even now he watches over us." _Esme's face had been transformed by the sight of Carlisle, her love and devotion evident for anyone to see.

I squeezed her hand slightly and led us back toward the house. Without hesitation, I moved to his side as soon as we entered the room, sitting in the empty seat that Esme had envisioned. She joined him at his other side. Jasper, Emmett, and Garrett all looked up, wondering what would spark my presence. The Romanians remained seated on a couch, their dark burgundy eyes examining me keenly as they noted the change in my demeanor.

_We will work together,_ I growled at the monster. I heard no resistance. He was actually in agreement, and I felt invigorated beyond belief with the reprieve. Without the need to fight him, I could focus on the conversation and attempting to relate what I could to them. I squared my shoulders and marshaled my strength to speak clearly.

"Aro brought me to Volterra for an experiment. He wanted more hybrids made and thought he could get me to do his bidding. He knew your progress, from the witness you gave…" I nodded to Nahuel from where he stood in the doorway "…and observed that you were only slightly weaker than a full blooded vampire. He hoped that he would be able to raise hybrids and utilize their time of maturation to bind them to him without Chelsea or Corin's help. He wanted the loyalty freely given…as we do to Carlisle."

I heard my father gasp beside me. "He wanted a family?" He then realized the fallacy of that statement. "No, he just wanted them to be loyal to him like a family, to have it as his due."

I nodded. "Individuals not under duress."

"But not all of the guards are there because they are being held," Emmett added in.

"It's different. Aro's ego is engaged now. He wants what Carlisle has," Jasper deduced. He started pacing around the room as was his wont.

Garrett hissed in agreement.

"My sisters are dead aren't they, Edward?" Nahuel asked, getting right to the information I'd wanted to avoid revealing. I nodded softly and watched the rage boil over in both his face and mind for a moment, his face darkening bitterly. He hadn't known them well, but he was certainly more attached to the three sisters that he had than he had been his father. "From what I understand from Alice, I'm certain he used them to block your sister's visions so that he could grab you. Did they fight?"

I blew out a long breath and then looked at Nahuel again, ignoring the others' eyes.

"The two oldest, they were destroyed immediately, when Aro ordered your father's death. They fought for him." The image of the fight rose unbidden to my mind, stolen from Aro's. It had been a short but brutal one, ending with their blood spilt onto the dark ground in the jungles.

Nahuel nodded solemnly, the tears gathering in his eyes and rolling down his face. I was fascinated to see them; Nessie's being the only other example I'd witnessed in vampires. But my focus on them wasn't to mean I was any less concerned over his loss.

"The youngest one fought as well, but she was overpowered and taken to Volterra. Aro desired her to block Alice…." I sensed my sister's immediate discomfiture at this "…and for other reasons." I heard the minds throughout the house listening and working frantically to see what that meant and had to focus hard to get the next words out. The Romanians' eyes were hard as they listened. They already understood. "She was the first experiment. Alec…he numbed her long enough to have…" I floundered with Nessie so near "…to be intimate. Aro wanted to know if she could become pregnant."

Carlisle flew out of the chair beside me, horrified beyond belief. The knowledge that a woman would be so mistreated. It was a rape. If they only knew what I'd heard…seen.

The monster stirred and emitted a low growl. But mine wasn't the only one to echo through the room and the rest of the house, though. Only Nahuel's and Carlisle's were louder. Nahuel for his grief and horror. Carlisle in outrage. Jacob growled sharply, knowing exactly how the woman would have responded; Seth cringed. Carlisle glanced to Esme, and the look on his face was of an avenging angel. I wondered how he'd lasted in Volterra as long as he had.

"Edward!" Jasper hissed. "Did…" His southern gentility was more than horrified.

"She destroyed the baby after it was born, unwilling to allow the little girl to fall in Aro's hands."

I heard the family, particularly the women…most of all, Rosalie…gasp in pain.

"She saw it as a mercy killing." I looked up into Nahuel's agonized face. "She didn't want the baby under Aro's influence. She was envious of your relationship with Huilen," I said. "She didn't want the child to be raised by anyone else."

"She survived the birth?" Jacob gasped out. His mind spun.

I'd known he'd find that information important. A myriad of thoughts ran through his head. At least he was able to keep the process of the conception out of his mind, but he couldn't help but find joy in the fact that Nessie was at least capable of having children. The ghost of a sweet voice saying "Granddad" ran through my mind, and the monster snarled. He didn't like the thought of Nessie and Jacob in that way. Neither did I. This was something we were definitely in agreement about.

Then the idiocy of my feelings overwhelmed me, because there was no one I trusted more. When my baby grew into the beautiful woman she was going to be as I recalled Jacob's first impact of his imprint on her…I wanted Jacob by her side. I just needed to find a way to deal with what would happen.

"She did." I looked back to the only other living hybrid other than my daughter. "Nahuel, Aro had her destroyed as a result of her 'insolence.'" He'd had enough and blurred outside to the back yard.

Esme started to move toward him, but Huilen swiftly lifted her hand. "I'll go to him," the diminutive Ticuna vampire said gently. Her company would be the best, even though Nahuel would like fall to Esme's magic as well.

Carlisle inelegantly plopped back down on the chair, causing it to groan. "Son of a _bitch_," he said harshly, imagining Aro's pompous face. His curse was unprecedented and telling. The idea of a woman being so badly abused made him furious. My siblings, mother, and family (I was including Seth and Jacob in that group) all gasped at him.

I was tiring, and the sapping strength made me mad. There was still so much more to do. Yet I needed to hunt again to restore my reserves. But as I was beginning to berate myself for the loss of control, Alice squeaked from where she sat near Nessie, and I saw her vision. Peter and Charlotte would be here before the evening. It made me think to reveal something before I had to let the monster take over and retreat to where I could rest.

"Alice, Aro used Nahuel's sister to block your visions, long enough to get me there. When did you begin to see me again after my capture?"

My little sister's eyes honed in on me as she walked over to stand next to me, the fury and hurt clear. But not at me. "You…you were beginning to talk with Bella, or at least your figment of her in your imagination."

Monster…Bella…dead little girl with copper colored hair. Monster…murderer.

My mind nearly shut down as I remembered a flash of memory from the hellhole I was in. The visions ran through my mind so quickly and furiously. It overwhelmed me, almost bringing me to my knees. I snarled. It took me an interminable period of time to stop shaking, to bring my utterances of agony under control. When I did, it was with the realization that Carlisle held me. Bella was immediately at my side, supporting me as well, her golden eyes blackened. Alice's face was miserable. I thought that I must have blacked out, but then I realized that the monster had taken over my psyche.

"_Edward, you must regain control_," Carlisle ordered.

The monster respected Carlisle though, bowed down to him, allowed the male he recognized as the dominant leader of our family to force him back into submission. This awareness was enough, and I slowly pushed the monster's thoughts away. Taking several deep breaths to saturate me with Carlisle's familiar scent, I nodded my head several times before I sat back up. "Sorry…" My apology was shaky. I slowly looked at the faces of the others in the room. Their faces reflected their incredulity at seeing the monster rise to the surface so quickly.

Alice had moved to kneel beside me. "Edward?" Her dark gold eyes revealed her agitation. Her thoughts were agonized to know she'd caused me pain with her words.

"You just saw Peter and Charlotte," I said, slowly breathing out.

"Yes." She was confused.

"Jacob, Nessie, Seth, and Nahuel are here."

Her eyes widened in shock at what I was implying.

"Nahuel's sister was still alive at that time. Your gift is starting to accommodate. Figure out how…why," I told her, hoping she understood. Her visions were critical to us. If she could find her way around the blindness caused by the hybrids and wolves, our defenses would be bolstered in unimaginable measures.

She stared at me for a long moment, and then she smiled, a bright smile lighting up her face. Her little chirp of happiness made me respond in kind, and I watched as she bounced away. Jasper did the same, and when he turned back to me, a look of incredible joy infused his face. I'd caught some of Alice's thoughts since my return. It had been bad…maybe not as much as it had been for me…but bad enough. She had had to carry so much pain and distress within herself for the past year at seeing me being slowly stripped of my humanity and nearly going mad. It had almost driven her insane as well. Jasper had had to absorb so much of her grief and pain and rage, along with those of our family. The cup had very nearly overflowed.

Ever the strategist, Jasper then decided to push his luck a little, reining in the backwash of Alice's happiness. "Edward, the main guard, can you give us anymore?"

"Heidi." I could see that information didn't impress Jasper. She was a vampire and therefore could be an asset in a fight, but we really didn't have need of a seductress known mostly for her ability to lure prey into the "den of iniquity."

"Demetri is in love with her," Tanya announced as if it was obvious, approaching us from across the room. When the group's eyes all turned on her, she shrugged. "I saw it that day…" her voice struggled; she still mourned deeply the loss of her sister "…before they destroyed Irina. He watched her in a hungry manner. I hadn't really thought about it since then, but when you mentioned her name…" She shrugged at me, and I grinned at her.

She narrowed her eyes at me and growled subtly.

The monster snickered at her warning, finding her entertaining.

But entertaining was entertaining, and magnificent was magnificent…and the woman that spoke next was without compare. "Edward, are you saying that Heidi and Demetri are mates?" Bella asked from beside me as she continued to support me, stroking my face gently and then running her fingers in my hair.

I nodded harshly. "Chelsea keeps it dulled to a degree, but they would choose to leave, like Marcus and Didyme desired." Aro had learned his lesson well. He just used Chelsea and Corin to keep them moderately happy, but not excruciatingly so…likes mates should be.

"Anyone else?" Garrett asked softly.

"Santiago."

"Which one is he?" Emmett asked.

I considered his question for a moment. "I'll draw a portrait of him, as best as I can. There are a couple others, which you wouldn't know by name. No more." Aro didn't have to keep everyone tied. As Emmett had already pointed out, many were there because they liked the prestige of being in the Volturi and having access to the nearly limitless wealth and trappings that came with it.

"It's enough, Edward. You did well," Carlisle said patting my shoulder, as Bella still soothed me with her fingers.

The soft tug and pull of her hands through my hair had me and the monster purring. I closed my eyes, letting the moments surround me as they continued to ponder. The susurrus of mental voices ran over my mind as I settled down in a couch with my mate.

"Edward, the castle, have they done anything to make it secure?" my father asked.

He was remembering the hallways he'd become familiar with during his tenure there. "No," I said softly. Opening my eyes, I saw Carlisle gazing at me. "They would never conceive of anyone coming after them there. It is still much the same as how you left it. But I don't think it is best." I was thinking of the humans in the city surrounding the building. No, an assault there would not work. It was an unnecessary risk. Jasper agreed; he felt that we had to choose a venue favorable to us.

He nodded softly. "We prepare for here then. Hopefully…" he looked over to where Alice excitedly spoke to Zafrina"…we'll have some warning, but I think we need to be prepared as quickly as possible."

I nodded, but my energy was failing. Even without the monster's interference, just focusing to provide the information had seriously drained me. Bella, of course, knew.

"Edward, let's go up to our room and rest before Charlotte and Peter get here."

"You need me to go find you a deer or two," Emmett offered.

I was embarrassed by the growl that came from within. But then Bella surprised me by saying, "Why don't you go with Emmett instead? The two of you haven't spent any time together."

The monster snarled a little. Emmett's size, his concern. The smile that came over my big brother's face was all child though. He was already imagining a good tussle in the woods…after eating, of course. He grinned in an endearing manner.

"_C'mon Bro…let's go!"_ he begged silently. He waggled his eyebrows at me, and I didn't have to hear Jasper's interpretation to know he was excited about the possibility. Had he been a puppy, he would have been wiggling in anticipation.

I squeezed Bella's hand softly and then pulled her gently over to kiss her forehead. When I stood, Emmett whooped so loud that it shook the glass. Even Rosalie cracked a smile at her mate's behavior. Tanya had gone over to her, and between them Nessie was occupied with a sheet of paper and pencil. I wasn't surprised to see that she was drawing. It was the Volturi as she remembered them from a year ago. She was adding to the portrait her own interpretations of their manners, natures, and motivations. I was sure that Aro wouldn't be pleased with her rendition.

"Carlisle…" he looked up "…have Ness share what she's doing when she's finished." There was something to be said for "through the eyes of a child." I wasn't sure that Nessie, with her heightened intelligence and mature mind, qualified as a "child," but we would have to take what we could get.

"C'mon Edward. Let's go," Emmett said impatiently. He had all kinds of mischief planned and didn't care that I saw it. The monster lay in wait assessing.

Not ten yards into the tree line, Emmett attempted to bulldoze into me, but I sidestepped him at the last moment. He chuckled as he took down a small fir. The monster was perplexed, attempting to determine the purpose for my brother's behavior.

"Fun!" I snarled at him, and Emmett looked at me in understanding.

"Hey, can you let the other part of you out a little? I mean, it would be _fun_ to play." His begging was so earnest that it even appealed to the creature in me.

Snickering slightly, I lunged, connecting with him and tumbling us end over end in the dirt.

As our combined laughter and the sound of destruction filtered through the trees and across the river to the house containing our family, I heard the thoughts that echoed from within. Joy. Hope. Peace. Despair. Rage. Anticipation.

But our father's was the clearest. Justified Determination.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts!<strong>

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! This story would not be what it is without your input, rewording, and care! Seriously!**

**To crmcneill, so…we see the beginning of the plan we talked about over a year ago. Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance. Again…can I please find a way to save Marcus…purty please.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Hope you are still enjoying my little foray into MentalWard! Okay, just to let the concerned readers know again...NO! Edward doesn't have a thing for Tanya. Just trust me.**

**I have so enjoyed writing this story, and I hope you continue to enjoy it. I know it's different...**

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><p>"Man, I needed a good fight. Thanks for pushing me in the direction of that bear, Bro," Emmett said to me with a cheerful growl. "He was mad as hell. Kinda gets the juices flowing, you know."<p>

Then my brother's mind shot off on a not-entirely unexpected tangent. "Hey? Would you consider another go at each other? You're more challenging than anyone or anything else I know," he chuckled, nudging me with his shoulder in encouragement or enticement, whatever way you wanted to interpret it, as we walked back toward the house.

He might be teasing, but he would engage in another scuffle with me in a minute. We'd had several of these during our outing and both looked like we'd been in a fight with Jacob's pack. Our clothes were ripped and filthy, our hair full of leaves and twigs. Then like a dog, Emmett shook and the debris went flying. Actually, now that I thought about it, he reminded me of Jacob shaking off water when he stepped out of the river. Our skirmishes had made me feel looser, less tense. Not as uptight as before. Not as bound by the monster within me. Some time with my big brother had been just what I needed, because it was hard to remain aloof around Emmett. But I was in a good space at the moment and didn't feel the particular need to ruin it.

"No, I'm feeling sloshy right now."

He laughed boisterously. "Hey, you used a Bella-ism there! Nice." His mood turned somber for a moment. "Man, I'm glad you're back. Alice was killing us with her visions, making us sit back and wait. She kept peeking in on you, and she refused to tell us what was happening. All I could think was that you were in the worst way with these bastards. The house was hell without you." Visions of the family from his perspective made me stumble. Emmett had always been the exuberant one in the household with his lightheartedness flowing over to us, all the while managing Rosalie's prickly temperament and keeping us distracted as needed. His mind, however, indicated that the circumstances of my long absence had dampened even his normal exuberance.

He wasn't averse to using his time with me now to speak about the fight we were facing. "I don't know whether or not to be happy about Felix coming over from the dark side to side with us. I kinda wanted a good fight with him." He envisioned the huge Volturi Guard member, assessing him as both friend and foe.

"Well, until we get to Corin and Chelsea, he'll be gunning for us." I mentioned the thing he was forgetting, the energy from my recent kills allowing me to speak more fully. Then I warned him, "You may have to still fight with him, Emmett."

He caught the worry on my face, and for a moment, he responded in a serious manner placing his hand on my shoulder. The monster stirred at the new contact, but the Emmett we all knew and loved reappeared and soothed the beast in me. "Ah…Bro…it'll be fine, I won't hurt him. Much." He punched his fist into his other hand, causing a lightning like sound to echo throughout the trees. "I'll just rough him up a little until we can take out the problems."

I chuckled wryly at his enthusiasm; it was impossible not to. We'd arrived at the river, and it was then that the multiple thoughts in the house bombarded me, making me forget the frivolity of the past few hours. It made me and the monster nervous knowing that others were so close to Bella and Renesmee. Emmett heard my subtle growl and interpreted it correctly.

"Who's arrived?"

"Charlotte and Peter."

"Can we trust them?"

We knew their allegiance to Jasper, but that didn't necessarily mean that they would be loyal to us.

I gave him a slow nod. "Yes, the video has done the trick even if Charlotte and Peter thought I was crazy already," I told him, remembering their thoughts about me during the time I'd attempted to withstand and then court Bella. "They actually think our diet might lead to mental instability," I informed my brother and chuckled as he considered putting on a show. "Not now, Em, maybe after this is all done."

"Spoilsport," he mumbled. "How about the others?"

"Some new ones who I don't know…a mated pair from Spain. They have old ties to Eleazar. Bree's friend is here…Fred. He wants vengeance against the Volturi for her destruction." I listened a little more to his thoughts. "Jasper shared with Fred what transpired…how Carlisle attempted to negotiate with Jane but was unsuccessful." I cocked my head to one side. "He'll be useful; his gift is very unique."

"He didn't come last time as one of their witnesses, did he?"

"No, but I can't tell you where he was at the time."

"Ah…no problem, you'll catch it sooner or later. Who else?"

"Charles and Makenna have come in response to the messages that Stefan and Vladimir sent out. His assessment of Aro's falsehoods…he knew that Aro would be back. He and Makenna had already decided they would stand with us this time."

"So seven more, that's good." He nodded his head in agreement.

"Ten…Maggie, Siobhan, and Liam are approaching from the north."

"Excellent."

Leaping across the river, I couldn't help but grin when I saw the two separate piles of clothes waiting us, compliments of Alice. Taking Emmett's example, I shook the debris out of my hair before stripping and dressing in the clean items. It made me happy when I recognized some of the pieces as old clothing of mine. It would've been easy for Alice to provide entirely new ones, but these had been left as a mute statement. She was intentionally making the point that I was almost fully recovered, the jeans only slightly loose.

Upon entering the house, we walked into a lively debate. Stefan and Carlisle were going head to head with Carlisle. I immediately grasped that the two Romanians were arguing strenuously against offering Marcus a choice; their enmity against him was deeply ingrained. Eleazar sat in one of Carlisle's wooden chairs, listening to the argument and keeping his counsel to himself; he believed Carlisle was in the right, having known Marcus as well.

"Marcus will be given the opportunity to join us if he so chooses," Carlisle said simply, directly, unyielding.

"He has been a part of the triumvirate for millennia; he must face the consequences for his actions," Stefan spit out, his anger clear.

"He's been incapacitated by his grief, barely surviving and only by force." Carlisle said firmly. "That is a mitigating circumstance. More, Edward has indicated that Marcus didn't participate in the torture he endured." He stared into Stefan's furious eyes, and then looked at Vladimir. "He also attempted to persuade Aro against rash action when Edward implored to be destroyed several years ago. In fact, he attempted to convince Edward to rethink his decision," Carlisle countered.

_Crazy vampire, has always been a little off,_ Peter thought as he realized I had entered the house with Emmett, and then tried to mask his thoughts, knowing I would hear. I ignored him, but the monster didn't. Aggression surfaced…the need to subjugate Peter a stark need. He wanted to growl harshly at the nomad.

"Actually, Marcus encouraged me to return home to you when I was first in Volterra," I said nodding to my father, forcing the monster's thoughts away. I nodded my head at both ancients and at Eleazar as I approached.

"_Young one, go back to Carlisle." _Marcus' soft words had surprised me, considering his lack of participation in the conversations I'd had with them.

"He's actively participated in the pursuit of us," Vladmir snarled out, continuing on his debate with my father. He was unwilling to yield ground in the face of Carlisle's reason and Eleazar's furrowed brows.

"He believes that you had a hand in destroying his mate. You want Aro for the destruction of yours. If he realizes that you truly had no hand in Didyme's destruction, that changes matters. Hypocrisy holds no honor," Jasper interjected, and suddenly, we all felt a little calmer as he subtly wove his gift into the argument.

Stefan glared at him, but wouldn't argue. His stance was untenable, considering that they'd survived millennia on honor and the lure of revenge.

"Wisdom isn't always a comfortable pathway," my father offered, attempting to break the tension even further. "That is a lesson I have just recently mastered." He gazed over at me, his eyes as bright as the sun.

"Siobhan, Maggie, and Liam will be here momentarily," I murmured to him.

He nodded in acceptance, the joy at seeing his friends clear.

Off to one side of the living room, Charlotte's thoughts had been fairly quiet, but she was attempting to accept the subtle differences in my appearance as I stood near Carlisle. She'd seen the video and had been attempting to convince herself that the images in it were false, but her attempted rationale didn't fit with her perception of Carlisle or Jasper. The disconcerting nature of what she'd seen in the video, the alleged promises of the Volturi leaders apparently broken, her belief in Jasper's intrinsic worth, and her observations of Carlisle had left her unsettled. The cognitive dissonance between the video's images, her long-held understanding of what the Volturi had represented, and her competing thoughts disturbed her. I was confident that the tiny ash blonde woman was perhaps more on our side now than she had been a year ago with Nessie.

Speaking of…I heard her squeal from the second floor at hearing my voice. Within a second, the sound of my child's feet thundering down the stairs made me smile. Bella and Tanya came behind her. They'd been talking…Tanya still uncomfortable and irritated with our possessive behavior…Bella encouraging her to continuing working with me…assuring her that she knew it wasn't sexual. Tanya had, of course, taken the opportunity to harass my wife, offering up a totally inappropriate arrangement, and she made sure to hit me with images of her proposition.

The monster enjoyed it, this attempt on her part to disturb us. Raising my lips at her, I bared my teeth. Her confusion at my behavior had her dropping her head, before turning to the two new vampires who were still standing in the corner. Shaking off her puzzlement, Tanya greeted them, smiling in welcome as she, as the Denali coven leader, turned her charms on. I saw my mother and Rosalie flit to join her.

Bella moved directly into my arms, smoothing her hands across my face in wonder. "So much better each time." Her caress of me continued down my arms and then across my ribs as she assessed, like a doctor, the extent to which my body had restored itself to its former vibrancy with each feeding. Her fingers danced back up in mischief, causing me to twist against her.

"Bella," I growled out in warning.

"Edward!" she mocked, totally undisturbed by my tone. "A little more meat on your bones than before," she waggled her eyes at me.

Smirking, I kissed her gently before pulling Nessie up into my arms.

"Daddy, did you feed while you were out?"

I nodded, but added, "But I'm still thirsty," before nipping at her neck, eliciting peals of giggling.

"Stop!" she shrieked, meaning anything but as she twisted around half-heartedly trying to evade me. I heard the thoughts of those around us…the astounded wonder. I caught the amazed thoughts of the young Fred as he observed me warily, I wondered if I should approach.

Seeing where I was looking, Bella said, "C'mon."

However, a slightly nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach stopped me after just one step and I grimaced. I decided not to advance further; I did not want to lose the blood I had still sloshing in me. Then I glanced to Bella and silently asked her with my eyes; she nodded briefly and the nauseous feeling disappeared.

"I would like to introduce myself. Bree thought highly of you," I said softly. I was surprised to find that he'd instinctively used his gift defensively, but then I realized he was still pretty much a newborn. He was still learning how to control himself and his gift, still only just a few months past the year mark.

_Sorry,_ the young vampire thought and then suddenly was disconcerted knowing that I'd heard him from what he had been told by my family. He was not used to having his thoughts laid open.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to him," Alice chirped about me, bouncing over to us. "Edward, Fred." She pointed from me to him. "Fred, Edward." She reversed her movements, and I wanted to laugh at her. I noticed that Fred hadn't dissuaded her. He wasn't the first vampire to mistake Alice for being harmless.

Alice was perhaps the most gregarious of our group, but her immediate acceptance of the handsome vampire did puzzle me slightly…until her vision hit again with an enigmatic snippet of the truthsayer, Maggie. Well, Alice's visions were subjective, and there were just too many shifting factors right now, but this was one of the possibilities.

Fred nodded his head at me, and I returned the greeting.

"Thank you for coming."

"I came solely to determine which side I needed to join in order to obtain revenge for my friend Bree. She was only a child; harmless, except for the fact she'd been created as a tool to destroy you."

I felt the need to clarify. "Victoria was after our family; she and Riley developed the plan that turned Bree. We took care of both of them and the newborns. The Volturi stepped in and executed Bree despite our pleas to the contrary."

"I am fully aware of that, thanks to the Major." His eyes wandered to where Jasper stood, his hands clasped to his back in a military fashion, beside Vladimir. My brother was studying a photo-topographic map on the side table in front of him. The map showed the area around our house and the meadow where we'd met the Volturi before. Fred went on, "However, it would seem that the Volturi had the opportunity to stop Victoria and Riley and didn't. In fact, the information that Jasper shared with me would lead me to believe that the Volturi aided and abetted Victoria in allowing our lives to be stolen from us as part of a scheme to eliminate your…family, solely because they feel threatened by you. I was a planned tool for the first, and I missed their last attempt."

He glanced around the room at each of us. "I didn't know until I saw the pictures of what they'd done to you. The same disregard for life, if that is what you call what we have, that allowed the Volturi to torture you in that way…it had to be the basis for what was done."

He grinned then, making him infinitely more attractive, and it garnered attention. "I like baseball. I have no clue if I did before my change, but I can tell you this…I hope the rule 'three strikes and you're out' applies to this situation."

Another flicker of Fred and Maggie blurted through Alice's thoughts…he liked justice and she was as fanatical about the truth. It would be interesting to see if there was a connection.

The door leading to the porch opened, and Jacob and Seth walked through. I sensed Fred grow rigid even with the foreknowledge given to him by "the Major." I barely held back my laughter before he growled and spoke his next words, staring hard at the pair. "I'll do my best to deal with the disgusting smell of these beasts."

I caught Jacob's unhappy thoughts; he was very uncomfortable with the new arrivals despite Stefan's and Vladimir's assurances that the "Cullen rules" would be observed. His hackles were already raised with the two ancient vampires. In addition, he was already worrying about the influx of strange vampires causing further transformations in the Quileute village. He could not stay away from Nessie, however.

Nessie wiggled in my arms, eager to get to her imprint, and I knew the magic of my daughter was infectious upon the others in the room. Her ready acceptance of the two young men who'd just entered would go farther than anything toward settling our newest recruits. She flew across the room, leaping into Jacob's outstretched arms. As I'd predicted, his love and dedication to her was so apparent and potent that Fred and the two Castilian vampires watched in horrified fascination; Peter and Charlotte much less so, having observed and given witness to the pair more than a year ago. After kissing the top of her head, he moved her to his hip. She looked like a tiny china doll next to him.

Knowing I needed to also introduce myself to the other new vampires, I left Fred to Alice's hands. Pulling Bella's arm through mine, I moved us toward the corner where my mother, Tanya, Rosalie and the dark-headed vampires who we had learned were mated, stood, watching us all carefully.

"Edward, come let me introduce you," Esme waved her hand elegantly at me. I heard the pleasure in her thoughts as she spoke silently to me. _Santiago once belonged to their coven, before Aro stole him. Saw him as a fighter like Felix._

Out loud Esme spoke. "This is Pelayo and Ildaria from the Castile region of Spain. Word reached them through Benjamin of our plight. He asked that they inform us that he would be here within just a few days." She smiled at the two Iberian vampires, using her motherly charm to further settle them down as I approached.

"He and his mate will be here quickly. There were several others Benjamin wanted to make contact with." Pelayo's deep voice was almost musical with the accent. His dark red eyes surveyed the room with caution, touching upon Eleazar last, but even if I hadn't been able to hear his hopeful optimism, his mate's gentle eyes would have given it away.

"Welcome," I murmured to her, bowing slightly in deference.

"I'm Bella," my wife took over, knowing that I was still having to struggle to keep the monster at bay.

He was unhappy, more and more males…more and more challenges. He did not like the presence of the strange males; they were encroaching on his space uncomfortably so that he felt compelled to give warning. The hair at the back of my neck stood up as he growled lowly, wanting to act out and throw Bella and Tanya over our shoulders, Nessie under an arm and take out for the cabin. The need to throw a barrier between the world and us was almost overwhelming. Waves of heat raced along my skin; the feral monster wanting to establish with each new person that entered the house that he was capable and willing to defend what was his. He wanted to mark his territory.

Sensing the turmoil washing through me, Bella squeezed my arm and placed her free hand on my stomach in a manner that would appear a caress, but was really like an anchor…something to which I could ground myself. I grasped her hand tightly. She kept talking, helping the monster settle down as the moments slowly slid by, keeping the focus off me. I detected the curious and puzzled thoughts of the newcomers as they observed us, seeing our orange-red eyes. Through the other's thoughts, I saw myself marble still, almost motionless, but it played well because it was normal vampire behavior.

Bella broke the incipient tension. "Edward is still recovering, so please excuse us for a while. I have to make him remember to rest."

She said it so sweetly, her love so apparent, that they didn't even consider the fact I shouldn't have to rest. The distress produced by the pictures of me, from those first few days, outweighed even my greatly improved appearance in front of them. I'd been in horrific shape in these first few pictures; one they'd easily imagined themselves being reduced to and couldn't erase as a future possibility. The images were haunting to them, and yes, terrifying. The Volturi's ironclad control was legend. Both Pelayo and Ildaria wondered just how they'd been able to avoid a similar fate…they'd fought hard to convince Aro to leave their friend with them, to the point of irritating him. I suddenly recalled Eleazar's observation that Aro ordinarily destroyed the covens to acquire the vampire he desired. The Iberian vampires were very lucky to have escaped with little more than an argument. Eleazar had been persuasive in blunting Aro's irritation afterwards, as he was friends with both Pelayo and Ildaria.

"We are...happy to see that you are recovering. Please don't linger for our benefit," Ildaria murmured quietly. She had as soft a heart as Esme.

Pulling my hand gently, Bella led me to the stairs, but before we left, I turned to look for Nessie. Jacob caught my glance.

_I've got her Edward. No one will get through me, don't worry. I love her as much as you do. _The wolf informed me.

Next, I caught Tanya's glance. I narrowed my eyes at her and then glanced in Fred's direction.

_WHAT! You can't control me Edward._

"Off limits!" I swore out.

She was good at covering, so everyone in the room began looking at one another; attempting to determine whose private thoughts I was reacting to. Unfortunately, Jacob was the individual who received the most guesses. In defense, he quickly said to those glaring at him with curiosity, "Hey, not me. I'm innocent this time."

As the conversation swelled around denials from different corners, Tanya blasted me with her thoughts.

_You and I, tonight! You can bring Bella because she'll need to pick up the pieces_… she mentally snarled at me. I could sense her growing peevishness at the monster's territoriality and possessiveness of her. She wanted her independence unimpeded.

I symbolically turned my back on her tirade and began up the stairs, pulling Bella behind me.

"…_not going to help Edward. I'll just keep talking. I mean it…tonight. You may have determined to be a prude, but I'm not….I have needs! "_

Tanya continued shouting at me as we moved further upstairs, but I attempted to ignore her. It helped when we moved into my old room and the scent of both human and vampire Bella surrounded me. I would've been in nirvana if I could've bottled it. Jumping lightly onto the bed, Bella moved to prop herself with pillows and patted the bed beside her. It was enough of an invitation for me. I sighed in relief when she pointed for me to put my head in her lap and stretch out. The monster's purrs as she threaded her fingers through my hair angered me, but I wasn't about to ask her to stop on his account…it just felt too good.

Golden eyes searched my face and then fingertips feathered across my cheeks.

"Close your eyes and just relax."

It was hard to do when the monster jolted in reaction to the increase in noise downstairs. Our Irish friends had arrived. Tanya's tirade stopped several minutes later when she saw the heat between Maggie and Fred.

_Damn you, Edward. Ok._

I couldn't help but grin at her mildly dejected thoughts. Tanya may attempt to present herself as cold and calculating…she'd been relentless in her pursuit of me before Bella…but what most didn't know is that she truly believed in the sanctity of love and mating. It was what she'd been looking for over the millennium of her existence, from the men and vampires she'd bedded. The one person who would fill the hole in her heart, buried deep as it was.

"Is Tanya still fussing at you?" Bella whispered softly.

"Yes. She wanted Fred, but I pointed out that her pursuit was unwise. The reason just arrived," I said low enough not to carry to the occupants below.

She heard both Maggie and Siobhan's voices and her eyes widened. "Wow." She formed the word silently.

"I trust you about Tanya, Edward. I don't know what is going on, but I don't really care. I know you; I know there is some purpose."

"Not me…the monster is possessive."

"Okay…" The tone was just a little sarcastic. She still didn't get it, but I wasn't ready to argue.

Closing my eyes as she'd previously ordered, I relaxed into her. A part of me felt as if I should be the one taking care of her, but another enjoyed being selfish this time and surrendering to her touch. It was a surprisingly intimate moment considering that a large contingent of vampires and two wolves stirred below us.

"I never thought I could love you more, but the moment I saw you in Italy, I realized I was wrong," Bella spoke very softly as she stroked my hair and cheek. "When you went to the Volturi the first time to be destroyed…when you left me…I only had a few hours to worry. That was excruciating enough, but this time there was no relief." My mate paused for several long moments. "Day after day, week after week…the pain was unbearable and there was no respite. I could not bear to be apart from you. I nearly was destroyed in my grief. My mind, thanks to the gift of your bite, remembered everything, replayed the moments we'd shared, tortured me with the memories of us, your touch, and your kiss. So when I saw you for the first time in a year – an entire year! - I didn't even focus on your state. The fact you were still alive was all I could see or focus on. It was such sweet relief and joy to be with you once again in the midst of this terrible darkness." She sighed.

I cracked my eye to watch her while the monster turned slightly, rubbing our head against the strength of her fingertips. She rewarded him by scratching her fingernails across our scalp.

"Ah…" I said before I started purring myself. The monster was in heaven, his thoughts centered on the pleasure he was received from her petting.

"I look at you now, and it almost seems difficult to remember that just days ago you were at death's door…that I was so close to death's door, because I don't know how I would've made it without you."

Her fingers skimmed across my cheek bones.

"The days I endured the terrible fire of the change seemed like a walk in a park compared to what I endured the last year. It was a combination of the burning, the deepest pits of despair, and terrible fear and grief that I'd lose you. Sometimes, I was frozen with panic. Jake had to rough me up a couple of times."

The snarl that filled the room was dark and feral. Her tinkling laughter covered up my ferocious reaction, changing it from something reactionary to a duet of complimentary sounds…a perfect mixture of Beauty and Beast.

Then Bella smiled down at us.

"Edward, I don't mean literally, just that he had to pull me away from the despair. He had some very creative ploys." She shuddered and wrinkled her nose fiercely, and then looked down to see me watching her. "It took me days to scrub away the smell of wolf slobber."

Instantly, I caught Emmett's…exceedingly vivid…memories upon hearing our conversation fill in the visual…Jacob as the wolf, yipping at a stone-still Bella, who'd frozen in the middle of our meadow one gray and cloudy morning in the autumn. He'd bumped against her, laid at her feet, and swiped around her allowing his tail to tickle at her face, but when all else had failed, he'd licked her all over her face, drooling on her, even. The stunned look on her face was priceless.

Emmett chortled and spoke: _How do you like that, Bro?_

I laughed slightly at the image, but the monster was angry…furious that Jacob had touched her. Encouraged by the monster and the primal feel of possession, seeds of jealousy that I'd thought long gone tried to fester, tried to reemerge…but I shoved them far behind us.

_Ridiculous,_ I snarled at him.

He only panted slightly as I relieved the many moments of Jacob saving our lives…of his face as he looked at our tiny daughter. The visual of Nessie perched on his shoulders like a vengeful queen during our first confrontation with the Volturi soothed him.

"You okay?" Bella murmured, soothing out the tension in my shoulders with just a touch.

"Yes, My Love. He tried to be jealous of Jacob for a moment."

Her hand stopped, most likely remembering times where jealousy had drawn the line between us.

Two boys…

We were men now. It'd taken me long enough.

Bella suddenly changed tack. "How will Marcus survive, Edward? You'll have to help him, to support him while he decides what there is left here for him." I heard Stefan and Vladimir grumble to each other downstairs; they still held on to the centuries of unremitting hatred against him, even with the knowledge that they now had.

Her change in the conversation left me feeling whiplash for a moment, but somehow her concern for the ancient leader made sense. I growled lightly. "We have to win first, Bella. Not so easy…"

"Yes, it will be." She moved to cup my face gently. "Edward, yes it will, because I trust that you'll continue to help break their defenses down. To give us the angles we need. Both of you…"

I started to growl, but she put her finger over my lips, stopping the sound.

"I'll be protecting us, as best as possible. Someone has to get to Corin and Chelsea, but if I falter, Jane is our greatest adversary. Alec's gift is too slow." Bella's lips firmed into a thin line. "Edward…I need you to lose a little of that old-fashioned honor and tear the bitch to pieces."

Many growls and hisses of agreement bombarded us…Stefan and Vladimir's being the loudest. My father was bound for Caius, but didn't want anyone to know. He'd already begged for my silence. My greatest hope was that we could block Marcus from the binding, so that the truth could be heard. My guess and hope would be that he'd turn on Aro immediately. Emmett would be targeting Felix in an attempt to engage him until the time in which he'd be given a choice, Jasper would maneuver for Demetri.

Jane…

Could I hurt a female? Even one as evil as her?

Pain seared me…memories from the past. Red eyes, a cruel face…agony the likes of which I'd never known. Mocking laughter, suffering, hunger, weakness. Taunts, whispered cruelties, and suggestions of betrayal and abandonment. The general sense that the person doing it enjoyed making me suffer…thrived on it.

The sudden sound of shattering glass, hoarse cries, mind after mind coming at me in an effort to subdue me…bind me…keep me from being free suddenly filled the space the monster and I shared. I felt arms grabbing at me, and I fought back instinctively. Fighting for control, I didn't tear at them, only threw them to the winds and the ground as they continued to come. Jane was missing unlike last time. Without her, they couldn't get me, couldn't stop me, so even the sense of lethargy that attempted to win against my rage was mitigated by the fury that coursed through me.

Howls rent the air, confusing me…and the red rage that covered my eyes streaked violently, calling me to dominate, but the bodies kept coming…and I shoved them away or disabled them, proving I could be free without the one who coveted pain.

"Edward!" My Love's voice pierced the air, calling me to task. "Edward! STOP!" she ordered, the words seeming to make the red mist lightened slightly. It was a struggle though, the beast behind me, encouraging me, protecting my back.

Then her lips were on mine and the world righted, the taste of her centering me, pacifying both myself and the monster that lurked.

"Baby, are you okay?" she forced out, trembling in my arms and placing kisses along my lips.

"Yes, I'm sorry…just remembering."

Her eyes looked wild. Then the wind disturbed her hair, and I realized something was wrong. Pulling back, the surreal scene around us finally brought me back to reality. I realized I was out in the open air of the back yard and stared up blankly at the shattered window of our bedroom above us.

Emmett lay on the ground several feet away, laughing like a lunatic. Jasper was pushing to his feet behind him…his clothes all but torn to pieces…but one of the most satisfied expressions I'd ever seen plastered to his face. Garrett helped Peter up, while my father dusted himself off. He'd broken one of my mother's large flowerpots. Pieces of the pot were scattered for at least a hundred feet around him. Vladimir and Stefan stood on the porch, grins of savage glee on their faces. The rest of the vampires trailed behind, their expressions incredulous at the release of the monster.

Hearing the huff of several beasts behind us, I turned, throwing my hands out to protect Bella, only to come face to face with Sam and at least five others of the Quileutes. Jacob and Seth paced frantically between us. Sam, however, was quiet and reserved.

It was Jacob that gave me the play-by-play as to what had just happened.

I'd shattered through the glass of my old bedroom and leapt to the back yard, Bella in my arms. At her yell, the family and several of the others had rushed out the back doors of the house after us, hoping to stop me, but with the monster enraged and overwhelmed by the memories of my madness, they'd taken on the personas of the Guard who'd tortured me. From somewhere deep inside, I'd recognized, on a subconscious level that these were my family and not torn them to pieces; I'd just tossed them into the dirt under the basic assumption that they were enemies.

Jacob's howls had summoned the wolves, but Sam's leadership had kept them from entering the fray. He'd wanted to watch…to see how "the new and improved Edward," in his assessment, handled a fight.

I'd just provided the show.

"Hot damn," Emmett said loudly, pushing himself to his feet and smacking his hands together. "Again!"

Jasper agreed, already circling me in an effort to use distraction, attempting to clandestinely signal Emmett.

"Bella, step back," I warned.

She turned her head and assessed me. "You still okay?"

The brawl I'd just put up was replaying in the minds around us, and I saw the ferocity at which I'd met each attack…compliments of my memories of the "witch twins."

"Yeah…lost control for a few moments." I huffed at the monster who was cackling in glee, picking Bella up to get her out of the line of attack from our biggest sibling. Hitting him dead center of the chest and sending him back into a distant tree, I turned again to face Jasper.

"Bella…they're intent on fighting me. Please go to Esme," I begged.

"Sure, now that I know you're completely in control." With a smile, she blurred over to where my mother and sisters stood.

The monster prowled, watching the subtle movements of my adversaries. My father used the distraction to bum rush me, but I spun to face him. Then his mind fell silent for me, compliments of my bride, I was sure.

Seeing the momentary confusion in my eyes, he smirked. "Thanks, Bella," he said in thanksgiving.

The others retreated, leaving Carlisle and I to fight…the father and the son…the peaceful one against the lost one. Neither of us had particularly put much into our fighting before…he hadn't had the heart, I hadn't cared.

But not this time, this time we allowed the monsters loose, and Jasper watched in fascination.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts!<strong>

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! This story would not be what it is without your input, rewording, and care! Seriously!**

**To crmcneill, so…we see the beginning of the plan we talked about over a year ago. Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. **

**Hope you are still enjoying my little foray into MentalWard! I'm sorry for the delay in posting. My betas and I have been really busy with real life. **

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><p><em>The others retreated, leaving Carlisle and I to fight…the father and the son…the peaceful one against the lost one. Neither of us had particularly put much into our fighting before…he hadn't had the heart, I hadn't cared.<em>

_But not this time, this time we both allowed the monsters loose, and Jasper watched in fascination._

The fight was vicious as both I and my father let our monsters out. No holds barred.

We'd been fighting what seemed hours, circling, sharply feinting, and ripping at each other in a bid to hold the other helpless and in submission. Dirt matted his blond hair and streaked his face, making him look like a savage, but we hadn't fared any better. Thanks to Bella, I couldn't see us through my opponent's eyes, and yet, I could see a stereoscopic view through the eyes of the onlookers to the fight; each set of eyes showing a different facet of the fight.

A sharp pain radiated up our arm, as my father viciously bit into me, and the monster tore the final shreds of Carlisle's shirt from him as he threw the man off. Venom dribbled over our lips onto our chin as we prepared to bite Carlisle in retaliation. The need to inflict pain was excruciating…the only way to relieve it was to sink our teeth into him and tear at his flesh. Rage, fuelled by the thrill of the fight, clouded our vision and seared our senses as the creature that we needed to battle shifted slightly before us.

While the venom continued to flood my mouth and boil through my body, the monster, which had pushed himself to the forefront, tracked Carlisle as he stalked us, the two of us. My rational side was subsumed by the monster persona to deadly effect. Yet, as the monster roared and ripped at his antagonist, I realized that it would have probably been more effective for me to direct the challenge. A level of subservience to Carlisle, as the dominant male of the pride, was ingrained within the monster. Although there was no man I respected more than my father, my rational side was able to overrule the voice that told me not to hurt him, if it was a means to achieve an end...which, for now, was to unleash without reservation the fighting skills and tactics that might save us and our family.

_SuperEgo...Ego…Id…_

Carlisle and I were prime examples of the over exaggeration of one, the strict adoption of the other…and blatant attempts to ignore or subjugate the third.

He'd crouched after picking himself up swiftly from where I'd thrown him against a tree, and I watched in detached pleasure as he moved out of his position, circling around to launch another attack at me. I would have said it was intriguing, but the deadly elegance of his movements made him hypnotic. Gone was the golden-eyed, gentlemanly doctor. In his stead stood a snarling black-eyed aggressor…but Carlisle was Carlisle…and as such, even in hostility he was mesmerizing.

In the strangely silent absence of my gift's normal reception of thoughts, I had to focus much more on the subtle hints of his movements, to detect the slight body movements that might betray his intentions. The absence of one sense heightened the receptivity of my others. This physical receptivity was invigorating, and it spoke a language that the monster understood…the here and now…the physical. The things in the meta-physical world that I thrived upon bored him.

Carlisle suddenly charged, abruptly bringing me back from my unintended self-analysis. His charge brought me down to the ground, and we crashed together, flipping end over end. His taunt suddenly brought my anger to the surface.

"Letting him do all the work, Edward? How apropos…" he purred out, like a cat toying with its prey.

The monster snarled out in dark amusement at my father's assessment, flexing our limbs in conceit. He found this grappling to be fulfilling…protecting hearth, home, and family. Arrogant _fool_!…as if I wasn't protective. Hadn't I almost destroyed Bella and me trying to provide safety and security?

_Mental shenanigans…_the monster scoffed, while at the same time grabbing Carlisle by the neck and throwing him into another tree, splintering, decapitating and bringing the heavy trunk and its canopy of branches and leaves upon him, nearly burying my opponent. Carlisle spit out dirt as he extricated himself from underneath.

I snarled at him - I wasn't just a cerebral creature!

A flash of golden hair and a hard blow from a fist, and I was the one flying into the air. A large granite rock situated at the river's shore exploded as I hit it, shards of it flying out into the air, sticking into the trees, skipping across the water like deadly shrapnel, and striking like sprays of bullets into the soft ground below us.

Taking control of both myself and the fight, I flipped in mid-air over Carlisle and came down on his back, grabbing his arm. He lashed out with the other tearing at my leg in an attempt to rip it off. Loud roars filled the air around us as we wrestled each other fiercely in a bid for control and dominance. At one point, we ended up tumbling into the river, sinking to the bottom of the rocky bed. I relished the moment as I bit him viciously in the side, but his backhand to the side of my head almost made me see stars. Lunging out of the fast-swirling water, I crouched on the mossy, stony shore waiting to pounce on him as he emerged. Our scent was covered by the liquid, and even with my vampiric eyes, it was hard to follow all the shadows. Frustrated as he forced me to wait, I rose and began to pace restlessly while grunts of impatience and barely contained fury rumbled out of my chest. He was fast when he finally decided to make his move…rocketing out of the depths in another leap, and this time, our momentum took us back toward the house. Having tasted his venom, I snickered knowing that his wound was particularly nasty. He favored the bitten side slightly, and I decided it was his Achilles' heel.

I should have known better.

When I lunged, he swiftly used his subterfuge to wrap his arms around my neck. I heard screaming, but the frenzy took over, and I twisted my head downward swiftly before his grasp became un-maneuverable. Satisfaction raced out of me in a hiss when I was able to work my arms free and grab for his head. So great was the need to destroy, that I wanted to dig my fingers into his unmarred face and score gashes in it. He wouldn't be so pretty afterward…

"_STOP!"_ came a female voice.

I heard the command from beside us, and suddenly, Carlisle's thoughts were clear again.

His fight-fueled fury was as potent as mine. But frantic fear won over my attention…Esme's unique scent suddenly filled the air around me. I smelled Bella as well and felt her hands on mine, trying to restrain them.

_Was she crazy!_ We were in the ecstatic throes of violence. The monster whined, sensing the presence of both mate and mother. Esme's panicky cries got through to Carlisle marginally, but the mere moment of our hesitation was all that was needed. Emmett and Jasper swiftly pulled us apart, letting us drop to the ground just feet from one another, Bella and Esme immediately filling the space between us. Panting, Carlisle and I clawed our hands into the ground, digging up great chunks of it, as venom fought to be let loose on each other again.

"Edward!" Bella hissed, and I answered with a guttural snarl. Reaching to place her behind me, she snapped at my hand. "NO!" she emphatically spit out.

I saw Esme move more into the space between us, putting herself directly in Carlisle's way. She, too, growled at him when he attempted to encage her. As the final defense, Jasper and Emmett formed a boundary between the four of us.

Emmett's face was alit with pleasure as he monitored me. He wanted me to lunge, because he badly wanted a chance to have a go at me. Jasper was of a like mind about Carlisle. He'd already assessed my father's weaknesses, and his multifaceted mind was sorting and discarding things he felt necessary for the refinement of our fighting techniques.

"You two stop!" Alice barked out. "I saw it beginning to get out of control," she said, and then laughed, totally throwing me with her enthusiasm. But her tinkling laughter helped dissipate the seductive spell of the feral rage.

"A couple more practices like that, and we'll let the two of you take on the Volturi alone." Seeing the gold return to Carlisle's eyes and then his confusion when he saw the destruction around us, Alice giggled. "Yes…you did all this, and I, for one, refuse to clean up. You and Edward will have to," she trilled out, sticking her fists down on her narrow hips in a dictator-like fashion.

The yard was a wreck. We'd shattered several large pots of flowers on the deck, sheared off trees all along the demarcation line between the small back yard and the forest, and the granite boulder at the river had supplied countless pieces of razor sharp rock that would have to be picked up or tossed into the Sol Duc river before the wolves or humans could walk safely along the shores. One of the windows on the house had been shattered by an errant piece.

I straightened up as I stood, and Carlisle instinctually bared his teeth at me…a low rumbling coming from deep within his chest. The consternated look that crossed his face at the realization of his actions was humorous and was only compounded by Emmett's words.

"Or maybe not." My brother's booming laugher echoed throughout the forest, sending some birds about a hundred yards into the heavy deciduous forest flying chaotically into the sky in their efforts to get away.

"Darlin', I believe it might be better to separate Carlisle and Edward right now," Jasper broke in, attempting to appear stoic, but he was inordinately pleased with what had occurred and his smirk won out, appearing on his face.

The thoughts of the onlookers suddenly crashed into my mind. Stefan and Vladimir could barely contain their glee, and I saw the astounded faces of our Denali cousins, and the curiosity of our new visitors. Suddenly, it was too much, and seeing Nessie in Jacob's arms and Tanya beside them, I grabbed Bella and threw her over my shoulder, visions of our meadow crowding my head. I need to get away from them! Bella half-heartedly protested my sudden movement, and I growled lightly at her as I prepared to speed away from everyone.

The monster cackled in good humor. Fight, feed, sex… He had his priorities in line and saw my movement as a clear plan to obtain the last two - having thoroughly enjoyed the first, looking forward to the next, and needing the last immensely.

_Son?_

Carlisle had finally regained some control, and I turned to smile at him, letting him know I was fine. His bashful grin was almost as good as his amazed thoughts in letting me know we were okay… as long as we could get away from each other for a few hours. I felt him struggle for control of the aggression raging through his body. He tried to stand and assume a "proper" role, but his body was as wired as mine and he shivered, barely containing the need to destroy. Finally, he decided I had the best solution and slung Esme over his shoulder, heading in the opposite direction than me. We began speeding away to satisfy our common needs.

"Hey!" Alice jokingly called out in affront, and then my siblings burst out in laughter. "Guess we've left them to handle things before…"

I was running so fast, the air blowing by us, that I lost touch of their thoughts after that.

From behind my back, Bella growled at me, letting me know that she wanted to be put down, but I swatted her bottom, which was conveniently in range, letting her know to settle. I received a pinch in the side in response and stopped suddenly, flinging her against the nearest tree and capturing her hands at the same time to pull them above her body.

"What the?" she managed before I claimed her mouth, my lust overwhelming me rapidly.

My free hand tangled in her hair, holding her still as I ravished her. Lust and desire swamped me as I heard her mewling noises, and I wedged my body against hers, feeling her softness pillow me. I ached from the need to take her and realized that I was being harsh. But her subtle shifting banished any further rational thoughts. Squeezing her wrists slightly, I growled into the curve of her breast and then shredded the clothes from her body.

~DS~

Hours later, faint moonlight filtered through the trees limbs above us from a mostly dense cloud cover. To a human, the night would have been pitch-black, but for us, the forest was still alive in varying shades of purple. Far enough away not to be scared by our scent, an owl called out soulfully. From somewhere, a memory rushed through me.

"_How does an owl go?"_

"_Oh, Oh, I know…'Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?'"_

It was a memory of a Boy Scout troop I'd once observed in Redwood National Forest. The leader was breaking down bird calls in a way that the young boys could remember. I'd watched them from the redwood tree that towered over them, marveling at the simplicity of youth. I'd felt sinful and wicked then, looking down at the children and realizing that I could snap their necks and drink from them. Luckily, my clandestine observation had come many years after my rebellious time or the night might have ended in that very way.

Suddenly I heard the whish of the owl as he dropped abruptly from the sky and the ensuing squeal of a small animal, and I knew the owl had found his next meal, hearing the raptor's claws grab the prey. Faint ripping sounds wafted to my ears.

That awakened my intense thirst, having expended considerable energy fighting my father and then despoiling my wife. She lay curled up to my side, her fingers tracing the muscles of my chest. Skin to skin, it took everything I had not to roll over on top of her and have her screaming my name to the heavens again.

It wasn't growing any easier to treat her gently. I was fighting the monster inside me, and at times, it was hard to distinguish anymore where I ended and he began. I had to possess her over and over before I could maintain any sort of gentleness for long. It was a searing need to have her frantic below me, to have her lose control, and snap at me like an animal in heat. Remorse, for the way I'd treated her began to bubble up from within my heart, but as if she was the mind reader, Bella pushed up onto her elbows so that she could look down into my face.

"None of that," she said, tapping my lips in reprimand.

She looked wicked, her hair tousled around her face and lips looking almost bruised from my attack. Pushing to stand, she stretched, glorious in her nakedness, and then shook loose the sticks and leaves I'd tangled into her hair. Running her fingers through her hair's long lengths, she put some order back to the mess, and then brushed dirt off the curves of her body.

Looking down at me she gasped, seeing what her show did to me. I couldn't do anything but shrug. What had she expected?

She stepped over me to place her feet at my hips, and then arched her eyebrow while slowly perusing me. "I'll race you to our meadow. Whoever gets there first gets to take control next time." And with that, she was off.

It took me a second to realize what she'd meant, but then I was after her…tracing her scent as she zig-zagged around the trees and shrubs. She won though, because about a mile away from the meadow, she left a bleating doe tangled in some vines for me, which I pounced on without thinking. Fed, I sauntered, like a fat, sassy cat, into the meadow to find her lying, still naked, on a blanket. She was gazing up at the dark cloud-covered sky.

"Alice," she answered my unspoken question, nodding over to a bag that our sister had foreseen that we'd need.

"She is a marvel." I laughed softly, lowering myself down to the blanket beside Bella. "Thank you. I was famished after my activities." I waggled my eyebrows at her, salacious thoughts crowding my head again.

Her pealing laughter at my behavior filled the space around us, but I knew that if I reached for her, she'd pull me down into bliss again. Finally, she said, "You're welcome. I like to see you eating. You're back; you know that right? No one would be able to see any of the damage the Volturi inflicted." She stopped for a moment and gazed intensely into my eyes. "Well…until they look into your eyes."

"Sorry." What more could I say. I was certain that anyone with a keen eye would be able to determine that I was no longer the man I once was…perhaps not even a man who was still worthy of her. My thoughts wandered to Bella's father, who had been one of the last persons to see me before my capture. What would Charlie say? It was my turn to gasp, which had Bella flying to her feet in a protective stance.

"What?" she growled out, turning to see if she could determine what'd brought on my behavior.

I was enough of a man still to enjoy the sight of my warrior bride before grabbing her hand to pull her back down.

"Charlie! What…what did you tell him? What does he think?"

Her grin threw me for a moment. "Well…let's just say he is still a little unhappy with us for going out of state to college, but he can't say much because he's too proud of the fact that you're pursuing pre-med, and I'm majoring in English Literature." She rolled her eyes in an adorable manner. "He brags to everyone, but most especially to Billy, who has seriously helped us out in perpetuating the lie." Her smile vanished almost instantly; her eyes betraying her still-keen grief at the loss of me a year ago. She paused for a long moment, looking down at our joined hands, and then back up to my face. "The fact that we were already applying out of state – Dartmouth - before we graduated really helped, and Renesmee and I have been visiting him almost every weekend. And your father…man…I never knew just how wily he could be. He's been calling my dad every Sunday, mimicking your voice. Carlisle can fill you in on the conversations so that you don't slip up. But mainly, your excuse has been that you're taking a double load attempting to get into med school sooner." She looked off into the distance for a moment before turning back to me. "If we survive this time, I want everyone's permission to tell him. I can't stand the subterfuge anymore. I mean, he already knows to some degree, doesn't he?"

I nodded. He'd settled on the outrageous concept of us being immortal after seeing Jacob shift and then observing how fast Nessie had grown in those first months. I could only imagine that he'd continued to do more contemplation with seeing how big she'd gotten in a year. Before I'd been captured, he'd entertained every conceivable idea including aliens and vampires.

"If we survive, Aro won't be around to say _no_." I growled at the thought, but there was an incredible amount of anticipation in the rumble of my growl's tone.

"What a different world it would be," she said quietly. Scooting closer to me on the blanket, she used her fingers to smooth out my hair, before running her fingertips gently across the skin of my face.

"I want to go see Charlie." She stilled at my words. "I was always quieter around him anyway. He won't think anything is different."

"Edward, the monster..."

She was right; I would need to be around the others just in case. "We can send everyone but the family away and invite him over. I'd like to see him." I didn't want to say it might be my last chance. I was certain that Charlie was probably still upset with me even with the college excuse. I'd been gone a year.

As if she could read my thoughts, Bella surprised me with her next question. "Edward…are you up to…can you tell me…" she stopped then forced out, "…how did Aro get you? You just disappeared, and then Alice had a brief vision of you with the Volturi…then nothing for a while until she started seeing you again. It was bad; I knew from the way she behaved. She looked so sick in the face that it truly worried us. She refused to tell us what was happening even with all of us piling pressure on her."

Rage, panic, and despair tore through me at the memory. A deep growl rumbled through my chest and I clenched my hands fighting against the desire to rip into several of the trees surrounding our meadow. Unfortunately, they'd be sore substitutes for the individuals I wanted to destroy for the pain they'd caused. Panting through my teeth, I fought against the desperate need to tear something apart. I only calmed at the feel of Bella's hands on my arms.

"Edward, if it is too painful to talk about right now, we can talk later. But I want to know what these bastards did!"

She'd felt the need to say those words to me entirely too much over the last few days. Gathering her to me, skin to skin, I used the feel, heat, and smell of her to center myself. Hadn't I longed for this exact thing in the darkest moments of the hell I'd existed in? I was just selfish enough to let her help me…pulling her into my arms, I rocked back and forth. But within just moments, she'd switched our position, cradling me in her arms much like I'd seen her do to Nessie when she was a child.

I shuddered at the pleasure that coursed through me, feeling her love on me, protecting me like I was the most precious thing to her in the world. She was truly my other half…

Then I took a long breath and breathed it back out before looking up into her golden eyes.

"I'd gone to Seattle, as you know. It was to get your mother's day present, but I didn't tell you that, because it was to be a surprise. "

She sobbed. "Nessie told me, told us. It was to be a secret, she said."

"A new piece for your bracelet." I feathered my fingers over the silver at her wrist, the wooden wolf and heart-shaped diamond the sole decorative pieces. "We wanted to surprise you." Another growl escaped through my lips. "Aro had Nahuel's youngest sister, and he knew she would block Alice from seeing in time to help. I was distracted, thinking of you and how excited Nessie was going to be to give you the gift." I stopped and stared up into the dark sky. Then I looked back at Bella's face. "Jane…she must have been practicing at keeping her mind neutral and empty of thoughts. As soon as she slipped, I leapt to the rooftops in an attempt to avoid them, but I was surrounded. They'd moved into Seattle, circling me. I thought I'd be able to outrun them, but Jane dropped me and burned me like never before. She enjoyed it. "

I struggled with the memory, the echoes of the terrible burning pain resonating throughout my body and limbs, the outright and effusive joy on her face as she did it. Bella snarled at the mention of Jane.

"I should have called on my phone, but it all happened so fast, and I was doing my best to evade them. Demetri was stalking me, and I was attempting not to give away anything. What I didn't realize is that they knew exactly where to get me. Aro had discerned the possibility – among others - from my memories - that I would most likely want to do something special for you. And he placed his bets that I'd return to the same jewelers where I'd gotten my mother's crystal…"

"Diamond…" she corrected me crossly.

Her disgruntled expression broke through the horror at the memory, causing me to chuckle. So she'd figure that out, huh? I hedged anyway. "Where I'd had it fashioned for your bracelet. Aro designed a very cunning plan to entrap me and had several layers of his guards surrounding me. Even if I'd been able to escape Demetri, several more were waiting no matter which way I chose. Once I was caught, he bundled me into a plane and thence to Volterra."

"But Jane is the one that got you?" She hissed, and I could feel the tension in her arms.

"Yes. She dropped me to the streets, making me cry out like a child. "

She snarled harshly, and I reacted in pleasure, seeing her turn into a dangerous predator literally before my eyes. "She's mine when we meet. I want to cause her pain, like she caused you. I want to flay her flesh from her bones, inch by inch. I want her to scream, and I want to record it so that I can share it to those that won't be here. Will you consider me a monster when I bite her fingers off one by one and feed them to the fire in front of her?" She laughed out harshly and blew out a deep breath. "I want her to know just a small part of the pain she's brought others."

Finally moving from the haven of her arms, I moved my hands to her face. "So fierce…" The kiss I gave her this time was one of comfort and great respect. Between kisses I muttered words of praise: "So beautiful…" "So loyal…" "So perfect…" "So…mine."

My lips began moving down her neck and when I reached her neck…and the place where I'd bitten her…made her mine…the need became too strong, and without thought, I sank my teeth into her.

It was supposed to have been her turn to control me, having won the race. But gasping out my name, she surrendered to me.

* * *

><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts!<strong>

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! This story would not be what it is without your input, rewording, and care! Seriously!**

**To crmcneill, so…we see the beginning of the plan we talked about over a year ago. Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. **

**Just a little transition chapter, but a big one for Bella! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Once again, as Bella and I approached the house, I heard more voices.<p>

Benjamin, Tia, Amun, and Kebi had arrived, and this time, they'd brought Alistair with them. The brooding, solitary and misanthropic English vampire felt deep remorse for having left us on the brink of our New Year's Eve confrontation with the Volturi, but my skepticism made me wonder whether or not his new-found fervor would carry through once Alistair actually faced the ruling coven. The thoughts that I picked up from the man were contradictory; his thoughts lingered on his deep fear and distrust of Aro, his loyalty and deep valuation of his friendship to Carlisle, and his underlying incense at the abuse of me. Yet, the fact that he'd come once again, felt a certain shame for his previous behavior, and seemingly decided this time that we had both numbers and justice on our side made me consider that perhaps he would prove an ally after all. He was waiting on Carlisle to return; stuck once again in the topmost reaches of the house in keeping with his solitary nature. So far though, my mother and father were still "_recuperating_" in the woods.

Two new vampires had now joined the others assembled at the house, having answered the Romanian's missives. Neither had any affiliations save for their infrequent contacts with the two ancients, but the one thing that united the pair was their hatred of the Volturi…each having lost something important to Aro's Machiavellian manipulations. They'd already recognized Jasper's strategic leadership and agreed to put themselves under his control in the intervening period of my and Carlisle's absences.

In the background, the monster stirred, assessing the two new arrivals. I didn't even bother replying to his inquisitive thoughts, moving determinedly forward and in control with Bella at my side. A female with dainty Asian features and long black glossy straight hair nodded her head in deference from the back porch as Bella and I approached.

_Mind reader._ The thought raced through the Asian vampire's mind. _He's the one._ She compared the physical presentation of myself to that she had seen in the mp3 player shown to her by the Romanians. Then there was the inevitable attraction my face caused. My lanky frame and features appealed to her strongly; but then she noted my wife's presence at my side. _Mated, _she snarled to herself looking to Bella, forcing her wayward thoughts into submission. I swiftly sorted through her thoughts as she briefly flashed back to distant memories. Aro had destroyed her coven over a hundred years earlier in Southeastern Asia when the French still possessed colonies in that part of the world; she had not known why Aro had done so, but bore a deep grudge against the Italian vampire. Her salvation had been a hunting trip. Although not mated, she'd lost a companion, a man she'd held dear.

"Hua," she said quickly, holding her hand out to Bella instead. It was meant as a sign of friendship, and Bella responded accordingly.

"Bella and Edward Cullen," she said quickly, nodding to me.

Introductions completed, Hua stepped back, moving around us and out onto the back yard. She was a nomad now, mostly wandering in Asia where the pickings were easy for her, and the large crowd in and around the house made her as nervous as it did me. The wet dog smell didn't help the unfamiliar scent repelled and troubled her, having heard rumors of the shape shifters from witnesses to the first confrontation. The wolf scent was infinitely less tolerable for her than it was for me. But she was a survivor and pragmatic. She'd already equated the wolves' help as a chance for success and would withstand any inconvenience for the possibility of exacting revenge for her destroyed coven.

Her story and reasons for choosing to align with us was almost repeated by an African male, Olufemi. Tall and thin, he stood his hands behind his back, at the corner of the room. Dark eyes watched Bella and I enter, but his intentions were clear…revenge for his maker…their relationship having been almost as close as Carlisle's and mine. He would enjoy nothing more than to destroy Alec. He hoped the stories of Bella being able to protect us from the twins' gifts were accurate.

Charlie wasn't going to be able to come here, I realized. There was no way I could guarantee that all the "red-eyes," as Jacob would call them, would be far enough away to guarantee his safety, despite their sworn promises to not feed within several hundred miles of our territory.

"Peter and Charlotte left several hours ago," Jasper informed me. I saw them in his thoughts, each carrying backpacks laden with the mp3 players.

Just how many more did Jasper think would come? Or desire to come? The house was bulging at the seams and the wolves weren't even among us. Perhaps the best we could hope is that any wavering vampires would make themselves scarce…unable to serve as witnesses for the Volturi. It would even the numbers considerably and provide us with a greater advantage. Yet I could not discount Aro's layers of strategy; he was, if nothing else, constantly scheming.

The monster snickered at me as if I was an idiot, and I froze as something came back to me…_32 and the wives_. My mind quickly calculated. We were more than fifty strong now. What should have seemed a blessing hit me as a curse.

Aro would know! And he wouldn't come at us directly. His Machiavellian mind would seek subtler, deadlier ways to gain any advantage over us to counter any perceived disparity. _Layers upon layers…_

"Alice!" I shouted and heard her squeak as she foresaw my line of thought.

"On it, Edward!" she called out from her bedroom.

"What?" my wife and siblings all asked at the same time.

"Renee and Phil. We need them safe and far away from Florida, Bella. It makes sense that he would go after them. Look at us! He only came at us directly last time because he didn't know about the wolves. Their strength and numbers, as you know, were what gave him pause. " I hissed, earning Jacob's appreciative chuckle. "But he knows this time. He will go for an advantage or weakness. He can't hold Huilen's family hostage, because he's already destroyed them." I looked to my wife. "But he knows you're one of our greatest strengths, Bella. So he'll target a way to control you."

She gasped and flew up the stairs.

Jasper watched me with respect. "Very good, Edward. Very good. I hadn't even thought of that."

"How will we convince them to come?" Rose asked the question the rest of my family was thinking.

Carlisle and Esme walked into the house just as she uttered it. "With the permission of the group, we tell Bella's human parents the truth," Carlisle said in a low voice, but his answer and the implications carried throughout the room like a thundering gunshot.

The basic law – _keep the secret_ – was the foundation for our world; to break that invited calamity. Many of the assembled vampires hissed sharply at that.

Like a yo-yo rebounding, Bella flew back down the stairs to come to a standstill in front of my father. He placed his hands on her shoulders to comfort her.

"If we win, it won't matter." Carlisle gazed deeply into my mate's dark gold eyes. "Knowing the ability of their daughter to keep our secret as a human, I think that their integrity and allegiance to you will ensure their silence."

Then he lifted his eyes to each vampire. "If we lose, he'll destroy them anyway. It will be a point for him to make to the community as a whole…that disobedience results in everything you hold dear being obliterated. Charlie might _possibly_ survive…but as one of us." He nodded to me. "His mind is mostly hidden from you."

My hiss this time was vibrant and feral. "He'll change him, in order to see if Charlie can be a useful shield."

My father shrugged elegantly. "And if he isn't, Charlie will be destroyed. I'm amazed, now that we're contemplating it, that he hasn't already arranged Charlie's kidnapping and that we haven't considered the possibility before now."

Bella's panic was clear to everyone in the room. Other than Huilen and his aunt, none possessed ties to their human lives. And although most didn't harbor affection for humans as we did…seeing them largely as food sources, they could see that it did matter to her.

Surprisingly, the first to speak was Stefan. "Your father must be protected, young one. The _Italian Scum_ possesses no qualms about destroying anything sacred." He glanced to Vladimir. Neither of them desired for Aro to possess a shield with anywhere near the capacity of Bella's gift. "You have our blessings, the blessings of your family, and that of the Denali coven. He sent a challenging look to the other individuals in the room.

Only Amun withheld agreement, refusing to give indication either way.

"Amun? Your hesitation?" Carlisle asked softly, but there was no mistaking the velvet-lined steel in his voice.

"We are planning to fight against the three that have ruled our world for millennia - based upon the premise that they have broken many rules in quest of keeping their power. Based on the fact that they badly abused your young one. Yet we are contemplating negating the most important law. The one law that _never_ is to be broken without penalty!" The Egyptian snarled at Carlisle. "How do you explain this contradiction? How you can stand before me justifying what you contemplate?"

"The rule was designed to protect our world. Protection isn't the issue in this situation. Neither Charlie nor Renee or Phil will do anything to harm Bella or us," I spoke calmly.

"How do you know?" Amun snarled.

Immediately in his face, I snarled back, "Because I know their thoughts! Do you contend that my gift doesn't allow me to know someone's heart and desires? Yours is to bring Demetri back into your coven, is it not? It is the sole reason you've decided to return here and cast your lot with us. Why should Bella's connection with her family be considered any less important than yours? Is it solely because they are still human?" I nearly sneered as I said my next words. "Demetri was a human when you chose him."

He'd stepped back a pace from me, Kebi holding a hand to his back, and it was then I saw the aggression in my face from the others' vision. Perhaps aggression wasn't the right description. What radiated out of my face was more conviction. But the monster encouraged the challenge toward Amun. Having gained some distance from me, he reassessed.

"Valid point, Edward. Are you prepared to be responsible if one of these humans violates your trust?" He frowned, his eyebrows knitting together.

He was challenging me, wondering if I would be prepared to rectify any problems. It was an easy answer, because I knew without a doubt that Charlie wouldn't, and even with Renee's bohemian, slightly spacey tendencies, she was still Bella's mother.

"I promise you if there is a need, I will handle any violation." Bella grabbed my arm anxiously, but I laid my hand over her's and squeezed softly, silently asking for her to trust me. "Maggie, am I lying?"

I never turned to the truthsayer female vampire who stood beside Fred. I didn't want there to be a thought I'd influenced her in any way.

"No," she answered simply.

Amun's burgundy eyes flitted across my face. Finally, he nodded slightly. "They must be monitored unto their death. One slip on their part, and you'll be expected to make good on your word."

"Fair enough."

"I have the flight booked for this afternoon. Bella, get them on it," Alice ordered, slapping the paper with the details into Bella's free hand, breaking the tense silence.

The reality of the moment shocked her into inaction for the barest of moments. Then, she lunged forward, dragging me with her. We came to a stop in Carlisle's office.

"How do I talk to them? How do I tell her…?" she actually tugged on her hair in agitation. "Charlie, no problem, but Renee…" She began to pace. "She will be harder because I've been pretty much vague with her for the last year, giving excuses, etc…"

"Suggest that you're pregnant," I offered, knowing that would bring Renee quickly. Human females were fairly predictable where this particular matter was concerned.

Bella spun around to face me, her disbelief written across her face. Then the wisdom of my suggestion washed over her. "Oh my God. She'll be able to know Renesmee! My mom and our baby. Edward!" She rushed over, falling into my arms, the joy making her shake. Then she burst out in laughter. "She's going to flip, and it's absolutely perfect." She patted my cheeks and then leaned up to kiss me quickly. "You're diabolically brilliant."

Both the monster and I preened under her praise.

With a steady voice, Bella dialed the number to Renee's and Phil's home in Jacksonville. It only took Renee three rings to pick up. "Bella! Phil and I were just talking about you and Edward…"

Bella interrupted her. "Mom, I need you."

There was nothing like getting directly to the point.

"Huh!" Renee stuttered to a stop.

"I…I… Edward and I just received some interesting news. I need you here to help me deal with it."

"Bella Swan Cullen, are you pregnant?" Renee's voice was a mixture of horror, fear, and just the tiniest bit of excitement.

Bella sobbed out dramatically. "Mama, can you come…now? I have tickets waiting for you at the Delta counter at the airport. Pack a quick bag for you and Phil. We can get anything else you need when you get here. Mama, I just need you with me to get through this."

Bella was playing it perfectly, but the emotion behind the voice was all too real.

"Bella...Phil will need to call in to his work, I'm not sure we can do it that quickly."

Loud sobs tore out of Bella. I'd once thought she'd make a terrible actress, but she had the muse for this. A great amount of the terror she was feeling was real, and it obviously shook Renee.

"Bella! Don't cry." Renee was. Her sobs were clear through the phone line. "We'll be on that plane. I promise. Baby, Phil will just have to tell them. I'm packing now."

"Call…call me, when you're boarding. Please!" Alice's presence at the doorway drew Bella's attention. My sister nodded energetically. "Edward and I will meet you at the airport." Alice grinned.

"Okay, well I gotta get busy, baby. I promise we'll call. Don't worry; it's not good for you. It'll make you sick," Renee announced sagely…had we been human.

The click of the phone was covered by Alice's soft squeal. "It's going to work, Bella. I'll keep watching, but as soon as Renee decided, I saw them arriving here safely."

The monster and I both kept to ourselves the scene Alice had foreseen…Renee meeting Renesmee. Renee would finally start talking to me afterward.

"We, um…the family, we'd all like to go to meet Charlie with you, Bella. Jacob is calling Sam now, to see if he can win a concession to the treaty for us to do it at his house on the reservation with Billy present."

High on the prospect of her father finally knowing everything, Bella hugged Alice fiercely.

~DS~

"Edward!" Charlie called out as soon as he saw me exiting the car. Briskly, moving down the ramp of Billy's house and over to me, he held out his hand in greeting, his smile broad. He barely flinched upon feeling the coldness of my skin against his.

"Charlie, I can't tell you how glad I am to see you." I was holding my breath to keep from thirsting for his blood, so I couldn't say much more. The taste of human blood was still very much fresh in my mind, having been the only food source for me for most of the past year. The monster growled very softly but otherwise did not stir.

"You stayed away too long. Family is priority, no matter how much Dartmouth means! Even if you're working to get into medical school!" It was as verbose as I could ever remember him. He was never comfortable showing his affection. Then he was right back to the straight shooting Charlie. "You've lost weight," he accused, his sharp gaze washing over me in an effort to search out any further deficits.

Yes, I had. But I found it odd that Charlie could perceive the difference considering that I felt almost physically rehabilitated. Bella had even said I was back. I disagreed silently. My body may be nearly whole, my tissues filled out by the heavy glutting of blood in the past week, but my psyche was still not quite where it was; my mind had been irrevocably altered by my year of hell. Charlie was entirely too observant.

"Charlie, let the boy come in. There's no sense in having a family reunion outside." Billy called, pulling at Bella's father and distracting him.

"Grandpa!" Renesmee called out, leaping toward Charlie and taking his hand. He broke out in a smile that was nothing less than brilliant.

While Charlie was distracted by my daughter, I saw Billy's sharp gaze focus on me as he gestured for me and Bella to come inside the house, wheeling himself in behind us. _Edward, I see that my son's assessment is true. The stories of your original condition didn't give me much hope. However, Jacob said that it would only take a few days of your family's care before you were back to normal._ _Finally, he is showing wisdom._

It was absolutely the first time that I'd witnessed any sort of humor from Billy. It was then that I realized he was attempting to lighten the extraordinary situation facing us now. Our presence this deep into Quileute lands was unprecedented, and Sam and Billy had given us a great gift in allowing us to speak with Bella's father here away from the guests at our house. I could see surprise in Charlie's eyes when he recognized that my entire family was present, and that a great many of the Quileute youth were as well. The sense of "something not being quite right" hit him squarely.

"Bella, is there a problem?" Charlie said, moving to a seat and pulling the very solid Nessie onto his lap.

Interestingly, he didn't seem to even pay attention to the heat of her skin or how heavy she must be to him. My wife moved to stand beside me as Nessie made herself comfortable. Bella glanced around the room before resting on Seth and seemed to give him a stern glare. I caught his thoughts then…his mother Sue was being courted by Charlie. Seth had harassed Bella about the possibility of them becoming step-siblings as a way to possibly break through her grief during my absence. I owed him again. Seth flicked his hands at Bella, telling her to get it over with, but I noticed that he wandered over to sit beside Charlie in a sign of support.

Bella moved to stand in front of her father. "Dad, I have some things I need to tell you, and I know that a good bit of what I'll have to say will be…surprising."

He glanced around the room, staring at Jacob just a little longer. _Explanations…_he thought. Charlie was nobody's fool. He stirred uncomfortably as he recalled Jacob's transformation into his wolf form.

"You know that Jacob is different…" that produced chuckles around the room from vampire and Quileute alike "…he made sure to prove that point." My wife grimaced slightly. "What you don't know is that he did what he did because he was attempting to keep us from leaving after I gave birth to Nessie."

Charlie stirred slightly. This was the first admission to him that Nessie was my and Bella's child. It was obvious, of course, but it had all been covered under the "need to know" rule.

Jacob only snorted quietly at Bella's words but otherwise kept his mouth shut.

"Okay," Charlie said in a tight voice. "Why did you need to leave?"

She looked around, and Sam figured out her need quickly. Bringing a chair over for her, he placed it in front of Charlie. Bella squatting supernaturally like a statue in front of him would've probably been too much.

I moved to stand behind her, placing my hand on her shoulder. I'd only stayed back until I could figure out whether or not I could handle Charlie's smell after taking a tiny sniff of air. My horror over drinking human blood in Volterra made me nauseous at the venom that had filled my throat at Charlie's scent when he'd greeted me outside. But it had taken me only a few moments to ruthless crush the possibility…well as much as any vampire was able to obliterate the need that burned relentlessly. The monster growled very low, but did not react otherwise. I focused my attention back completely onto my wife.

"Dad…you know that I'm different now. I mean, that hasn't been something I could hide." She held up a pale arm and tapped the side of her head near her golden eyes. "How do I explain my…renovations?" She paused for a moment then blew out a breath quietly and started again. "Edward and I didn't think that we could conceive when we got married. So when I became pregnant…um…" she looked up to me and smirked adorably. If I could blush, I'm certain I would have. "Well, it was shocking to say the least for everyone."

Jacob's laughter was probably louder than anyone's, but Nessie shut him down with a look.

"Bells…I don't understand. Nessie…I mean…she can't… You couldn't have been pregnant when you got married."

"No!" I gasped out in affront, which had Bella laughing.

"Dad…remember that little conversation we had about Edward's morals…that stood until our wedding night!"

Charlie blushed and it was so reminiscent of Bella that I gasped a little. "But…"

She cut to the chase quickly. "Dad, I'm a…we're vampires."

Well that was a way to get around to it. Charlie's mouth opened and shut like one of the fish he religiously conquered. I felt Jasper's influence as Charlie's heart raced. Bella used his shock to continue.

"There is a lot you need to be aware of. First, we don't do the whole _'eat humans'_ thing," she said gently, waving a hand to our family. Charlie's eyes jerked around to us, and he started breathing rapidly. I could feel Jasper working to calm the man down. "But the others of our kind do. When I met Edward, he attempted to stay away from me because of his difference, but he fell in love with me, and I him. Do you remember when he left?"

Why did she have to bring that up? He gasped, the color coming back to his face in a rush. His face darkened as he nodded. It was still a sore subject with him.

"Well, he left in an attempt to not draw me into their world."

"Didn't work!" he grunted.

"No, because I couldn't let go, and neither could he. You see, when vampires…" Charlie wheezed "…fall in love, it is forever, literally. They can't change who they are mated to."

Charlie glared at me and the monster stirred, sensing as much antagonism from the human in front of us than we'd felt from several of the Guard members. _Not Now!_ I growled. A good assessment of Charlie, a quick whiff of him, and the monster rested again…recognizing him as part of Bella. While I reeled at how fast he'd acquiesced, Bella continued.

"Dad, we didn't know. Edward was attempting to find a way to leave me human, but when I became pregnant…well it wasn't an option any longer. I died giving birth to Ness, and if Edward hadn't bit me to begin the change, I wouldn't be here."

"VAMPIRE!" Charlie shouted, his thoughts finally catching up with him. He stood, struggling to bring Nessie to his hip. He glared at my family, taking in our supernatural beauty and looks. "But how? You're a doctor!" he snarled at Carlisle. And then he looked to Jake. "What are you, a werewolf?"

Jake had the grace to look a little embarrassed. "Not quite, but close enough," he admitted with a little snort. Then he grinned. "Hence the whole mortal enemies thing…"

Flashes of my and Jacob's previous "disagreements" floated through Charlie's overwhelmed thoughts, and I was amazed to realize that when he was really upset I could hear him clearer.

Carlisle had used Charlie's distraction to move to Bella's other shoulder. "Charlie, please let us start from the beginning. It might help you to understand."

"Grandpa, please," Nessie begged prettily, patting her hand against his chest gently. She was possibly the only one at this time that could convince him to calm.

Looking down at her, I saw the moment that he realized just why she'd grown so quickly. He warmed my dead heart when he hugged her closer without fear before sitting back down. Looking like a man heading to his executioner, he said, "Okay Carlisle, let me have it."

And so he did.

"So they will be coming here again!" Charlie snarled, having begun pacing at the point where he heard about the first confrontation just after Renesmee had been born. He had, remarkably, absorbed the information Carlisle imparted, with his mind quickly fitting in the puzzle pieces that he had not been able to understand before.

"Yes," Carlisle answered calmly but with a firm undercurrent.

"To capture those of you who are gifted?" he shuddered, still horrified that I could read his thoughts at times.

"No, most likely not this time. He desires revenge," Jasper said as gently as possible.

Bella broke in. "Dad, I need you to stay on the reservation for your protection."

"So that I can be protected by a pack of pups!" he grumped, not intentionally being rude, but it was taken that way.

"HEY!" Paul snarled out.

"Pfft!" Charlie muttered at Paul's anger. "I've known you since you were a snot-faced child running around here following Billy around." He growled impressively at Jacob when he paced before him. The closest he'd come to losing it had been when we had to explain about imprinting. Finally, he plopped back down upon the seat before Bella, who'd patiently waited for his anger to burn out. I'd remained beside her. "Edward, son, are you really okay?" he said then, noticing again the changes he'd noted in my appearance and truly understanding them this time.

"I'm getting there," I replied. Bella smiled softly, reaching up to lace her fingers through mine before leaning over to brush her cheek against our combined hands. "I have a long way to go, Charlie, but not enough time to get there."

Bella's phone rang, interrupting the moment. She smiled as she saw who was calling.

"Bella, we're about to board. Are you certain that you should be traveling to Seattle? We could rent a car," Renee's voice came out clearly.

"No, mom! We'll be there."

"_Flight 242 to Seattle, final boarding," _was heard in the background "Bella, we've got to go now, or we'll miss the flight."

We all breathed a sigh of relief when the phone disconnected and Alice hummed. Barring the Volturi shooting down the plane, which wouldn't help their cause, Renee and Phil would make it to Seattle.

Carlisle spoke then. "Edward, I'm going to make the suggestion that you allow Bella and I to travel to Seattle. I'm not certain that you should expose yourself to Renee and Phil's scent just yet. You were more accustomed to Charlie." Carlisle's eyes were kind, but firm, and Alice's vision of Renee meeting her granddaughter for the first time changed.

It made me angry that he had to call me on it, and before I knew what I was doing, I'd turned and stormed out of Billy's house, the rage boiling in me. I felt useless, unable to control myself as in the past. Abiding by Sam's limited permission, I remained in the yard, but paced at vampire speed back and forth. The monster snarled at my actions, and I responded in kind. Our schizophrenic debate was interrupted by an unlikely source.

"That is amazing. I can barely see where you are, and that only because the dirt is stirring," Charlie called out from Billy's ramp, causing me to stop. "Is it okay to approach you?" he asked sincerely when he had my attention. His dark brown eyes narrowed as I slowed down and turned to face him.

I nodded, and he moved slowly as if treating me like an unpredictable subject. His mind was nearly silent to me now, as if he was actually trying to hide his thoughts, so I wondered as to why he'd followed me.

"You're beating yourself up because of something that wasn't your fault. I must admit that I'm a little overwhelmed with what I learned tonight, but in another way, I'm not. Mind reader, huh?"

When I grinned repentantly at him, he continued. "Well then you might've caught the fact that it was one of the things I'd already considered after Jacob's little bit of public nudity." He snorted. "I should have arrested him for that!" Then he became serious. "I couldn't accept the idea of werewolves or vampires because of the way that folklore has always portrayed such creatures as being, so I'd moved on with the 'need to know' thing."

"Putting aside the fairytale myths, _nearly _all of my kind do prey on humans, Charlie," I warned. "They're ruthless and immoral."

"Yes, but you aren't, because you've chosen not to be. And even with what was forced upon you, you returned to your core values as soon as you could. That is your true measure."

I blew out a breath.

"Are you questioning me, you wanton, supernatural, despoiler of my innocent, once human child?"

I burst out laughing at his deadpan expression, which was exactly what he planned.

~DS~

With Sam's permission, my family had remained at his home with Charlie during the hours it'd taken for Bella and Carlisle to drive to and from Seattle. It had been comforting in a way, to spend time with the wolves again…away from the mayhem of the recent fight. Although, I didn't think that the pack as a whole would allow me to call them family, we were most definitely friends. I'd become the subject of ribald and good natured teasing, and it'd been a good practice in tolerance…me teaching the monster to stand down at the natural reaction to challenge our enemies. Charlie and the wolves had watched me with undisguised interest as I battled against him.

Other than my parents' and wife's, Charlie's comment afterward meant more than any others. "Edward, you're a fine man." Then he'd ruined it. "Harness your dark side's aggression for the coming fight."

I'd wanted to growl at him for assuming that I could do much with the monster other than monitor him.

_Edward, why don't you meet us outside with Nessie_, Carlisle's thoughts brought me back as he and Bella turned off the highway onto the road that led into the reservation.

Phil's and Renee's stunned understanding crowded over me. Bella's mom had planned to immediately pounce on Bella to find out about her pregnancy, but upon seeing her…she'd known. Known that this was much more than an early pregnancy and need for support. For my benefit, Carlisle quickly ran through the moment that Renee first saw my wife.

"_Bella! What's happened?"_

Phil had been the voice of reason, looking to Carlisle trustingly._ "Renee, perhaps this is something better discussed in private," he said, looking to the crowd around them._

Flighty, carefree, and loving Renee…she'd immediately surprised them all, by saying to Bella_, "Of course, whatever it takes to protect you." _

Bella's confession to her mother had begun immediately upon them entering Carlisle's car, Renee in back with Bella, Phil in front with Carlisle_. "Mom, let me tell you about how I met the love of my life…"_

"Ness, your grandparents are fairly shaken, but one thing is certain, they are anxious to meet you," I told her as she took my hand in hers, facing toward the sound of the approaching car.

"What if they don't like me?" she asked, with surprisingly very child-like uncertainty.

Looking down into Bella's eyes, Charlie's eyes, I smiled. I knelt so that we would be at the same level. "Ness, they won't be able to do anything but love you. Just be careful with them like you are with Charlie, okay? Your mom has already told them about you and your gift. But use it wisely at first; don't overwhelm them."

"'Kay!" she all but squeaked in Jacob-like manner, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing my face repeatedly in her enthusiasm and excitement.

It was upon that scene that Carlisle drove up. I heard Renee's astonishment at seeing Nessie and her joy and immediate love upon viewing her granddaughter's face. Without thought for her own safety, Renee flew out of the car and ran toward us. I locked down my breathing and released Nessie, letting her do her magic. Her squeal of joy had everyone, including Charlie, grinning like idiots as they poured out of the house. I only relaxed marginally when Jasper and Emmett put their hands on my shoulders, having moved at vampire speed to get to me. Renee, with effort, picked Renesmee up, spinning around in a circle as she took in the miracle of her grandchild.

~DS~

"Edward, mom wants to come in and speak with you. Can we?" Bella called from the hallway outside of the bedroom where I'd secluded myself.

"Jasper, Emmett," I called said softly, and waited until they joined us, having moved past Renee with a respectful "Ma'am."

"Hold tight," I told them, unwilling to even risk the possibility I'd hurt her. Jasper found my uncertainty equally sad and humbling.

"Okay," I muttered, taking a deep breath, simultaneously clamping down on my muscles and internally warning the monster.

Bella entered first, holding her mother's hand, Renesmee came to the rear, holding the other. Renee's thoughts were surprisingly deeply content, but she was concerned…for me.

"Edward…" tears crowded her eyes, her thoughts full of sorrow for what I'd endured "…I don't know what to say. But I had to see you."

The monster was intrigued by the water coursing down her face. The humans we'd fed upon had cried of course, but then we'd only been fixated on the blood that poured through them. Sniffing, he categorized the briny smell, recognized her emotional distress, and desired to know what was occurring with the strange human…the human that looked like his mate.

"Tears…" I snarled at him in explanation, and saw Renee still as Emmett and Jasper tightened their hold on me. Ironically, seeing me talk to myself didn't scare her in the least. Her reaction had been an effort to reduce my stress.

Although Renee's whimsical ways hadn't made her the most responsible of parents, they made her perfectly comfortable with accepting the supernatural world that existed around her. Magic and eternal love, demons and angels, vampires and werewolves…yeah…she was entirely open to the existence of said beings. In fact, to her, it explained many of her observations of me with Bella. If in addition, she was willing to accept that a vampire could go crazy…well it worked to my advantage.

"Mom…" Bella said intentionally, as if she was speaking to the monster directly, letting him know who the person beside her was "…and Phil are going to stay with Sam and Emily for the time being. Dad's bunking with Billy."

My eyes jerked from Renee's understanding ones to Bella's. "I'll pay for houses to be built by the tradesmen in the tribe, if Sam gives permission. But they have to be on the reservation."

Sam moved to the doorway, his dark eyes considering.

"For Charlie, Renee, and Phil." My words were choppy because I'd been attempting not to breathe. I was nearly out of air.

"Sam, it makes sense. When they leave to go back to life as usual, the tribe can use the houses as they desire, but you shouldn't be put out any longer than necessary." Bella unleashed her full persuasive power to influence and perhaps dazzle the man.

"We'll find the right spot," he finally nodded.

It was a good compromise. They'd be protecting our family; we'd be providing the place. The houses would go to the tribe as our thanks…assuming they were left to take advantage of them.

I took a deep breath and trembled with the fire that scorched my throat. It was barely manageable, and I knew that it would be almost impossible for me to stay long. Bella and Renesmee would want to visit, and I knew that I wouldn't do anything to keep that from happening.

"Emmett, Jasper. I need to go home." Bella dropped Renee's hand at my words. "Bella, no. Stay. I just need to…"

"Get some fresh air," Renee interrupted irreverently.

I couldn't help but give a brief smile at her cheeky repartee. "Right…air."

"Thank you, Edward," she said to me softly as I exited the room.

"For?" I couldn't help but ask as I couldn't see anything she had to be grateful for.

"Loving my baby." She concluded, as if the emotion explained everything.

And perhaps it did, I thought as I ran, with my brothers at my side, through the woods toward our house where an army of supernatural beings awaited our strategy, instructions, and preparation. Love had built the family that Aro wanted to destroy. Love, eternal and unbreakable, brought Bella into my life and the expression of that love had created our daughter. Love, in the form of a supernatural imprinting process, had brought the wolves into our fold and destroyed a centuries old hatred. And love gave us the willingness to fight for it all.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts!<strong>

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! This story would not be what it is without your input, rewording, and care! Seriously!**

**To crmcneill, so…we see the beginning of the plan we talked about over a year ago. Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. **

**My many thanks to Nikki, who signed on for the arduous task of pre-reading this for me. Her thoughts for clarifications, additions, and subtractions (smile) were brilliant. She may want to run and hide from the next chapter after having spent so much time on this one. HA! My many thanks, madam!**

**Yes, to those who have asked. We are getting very close to seeing Aro again.**

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><p>As Emmett flung Garrett across the large yard into the ground near one of the massive pines at the tree line, Carlisle and Stefan tore at each other. The other immortals, wolves included, stood in groups around the yard having completed their assigned times, with some having moved further into the tree line and beyond for more private conversation. It had been a day of warfare preparation. Talented or not, each individual had been coerced into practicing, while Jasper supervised the multiple interactions and commented to each individual on skills to keep and refine or those to discard. He utilized me to monitor their thoughts, pointing out that the mind was often a more powerful weapon. I had been the recipient of many glares, the others not liking the reminder of my intrusion into their most private contemplations.<p>

Bella and Nessie had returned early morning from La Push, having spent the night with Renee and Phil. I could see from Nessie's thoughts that it had been a time of much squealing and hugs on both sides as the generations of Swan women communed. However, immediately upon Bella stepping into the house, her respite was over as Jasper commandeered her, stating that she, of all of us, needed to practice with her gift. So she'd been put through the paces. Currently, Rose was attempting to attack her, while Bella followed a prescribed group of vampires and Zafrina attempted to poke holes past her shield and blind them. The purpose of this particular exercise was to see if Bella could keep her protection around multiple individuals while engaging in combat herself. It was brutal, but her gift was crucial to our success. She'd impressed everyone early in the day by mastering the process of following multiple individuals, but Jasper was planning for every contingency. We might not be able to protect her at every turn.

But as our anxiety began to peak and the restlessness about the focus on our mate increased, both the monster and I felt it was time for the day to end as Bella had been shielding and fighting for hours. I could tell, through her minute changes in facial expressions, that she needed a break.

"Jasper, call it," I spoke softly to the man directing it all.

He'd developed an even more regimented schedule of times for those possessing skills he felt necessary, designed combat training routines and drills based on these particular skills, and was dogmatic in his pursuit to see them accomplished. Ignoring the complaints of various vampires, including the two ancient Romanian vampires, he pushed each of us hard, stopping from time to time to correct, demonstrate, or chide. Even Alice was calling him Napoleon behind his back, while others utilized the snide nickname given the French military leader. _Le Petit Caporal_. Notably, Jasper ignored us all, succinctly stating that he had nothing in common with Napoleon…that he was far from short, definitely not French, better looking, and that there was "definitely nothing '_Petit_' about his '_Caporal_.'"

Alice's thoughts about Jasper's comments had made me want to boil my brain with acid to eliminate the images. At my heartfelt groan, Alice had burst out in laughter, knowing exactly just what I'd seen. "Any comments on Jasper's behalf, Edward?"

The whole family had burst out in ribald comments as I wiped my hands across my eyes in a very human like gesture to eliminate the graphic images of my brother-in-law.

_Just a moment, Edward. Just one more thing and then I'll let her go for the day. _My brother resisted, not wanting to stop. He was far more interested in a flaw he'd determined in Garrett's approach. The new Denali member was leaving his side open, going full force ahead. He was quick and agile, but a seasoned fighter, like those in the Volturi, might quickly ascertain how to take him down.

The monster snarled lowly at Jasper, and I allowed the beast take the wheel, expressing our dissatisfaction. My brother stared as he registered the threatening growl from me. A delicate touch to my face distracted me away from Jasper's consternation as Nessie shared with me a desire to spend the night with Renee and Phil again. She was firmly settled on my hip, my arms wrapped around her, as she had been from the moment Bella returned with her. She was physically too big to be pampered in this way, but the comfort wasn't for her. It was for me. I had a year to make up for…a year of not seeing her, smelling, her, or touching her. I'd never be able to get back what Aro had taken from me, but I was selfish enough to grab what I could…whether Nessie was too big or not.

"Yes, my sweet. As long as your mother is fine with that." I was very clear who ruled the roost in our household. Carlisle might be the acknowledged leader of our family, but Esme's wrath was the one we all feared. There was nothing funnier than to see Emmett running from her.

I heard Fred's thoughts just before he initiated what he and Jasper had arranged…the "one more thing" for Bella. Liam, our Irish compatriot, began dry-heaving and began to double-over, gagging. I would have been worried, as Siobhan, his mate, was had I not known what Fred was doing. Fred had a very strong repulsive aspect to his cloaking shield, and he and Jasper had arranged to throw it into the mix. Our Irish friend looked miserable until Bella turned her gaze toward him. But then Emmett ran into a tree, Zafrina's gift blinding him to what was before him and Rose landed a wicked blow on my mate.

"Damnit!" Bella cursed and stomped her foot, causing Nessie to giggle and bury her face against my neck. I couldn't help but chuckle myself at my mate's outburst. Jasper's momentary disquiet was replaced instantaneously when he felt Bella's determination.

Bella spun to look back at us, and I could see the embarrassment on her open-book face. She drew a deep breath and turn back to focus on the Rose and the chaos. In response, Emmett held a hand to the shattered tree, seeing it, and Liam straightened from the nausea Fred had sent his way. Jasper smiled in victory; he'd accomplished what he'd desired. Pompous ass.

It was enough, and I was growing thirsty. The monster demanded sustenance to continue our recovery; I still felt less than 100 percent. So I started forward, and even as Bella yelled out, I picked her up around her waist, pulling her to me so that I could carry her. We were going hunting. Passing Tanya, a deep grunt rumbled out of my chest, and she hissed back. She'd clearly understood my nonverbal direction, but it didn't mean she felt obligated to obey it.

"Now," I distinctly ordered her and the monster's territorial claim on our relationship made her furious. The monster smirked back at her before talking off into the evergreen wilderness, mate and child in hand. Tanya followed us solely for the purpose of having it out with me. Her thoughts flowed furiously; she was ready to rip into me for the possessiveness I displayed toward her. She wanted to be independent and free to roam as she pleased. Oddly, she also wished for the gentlemanly behavior I had displayed in the past, and she found it high time to deal with me.

Bella smacked at my shoulder in an attempt to let me know that she could run, but I ignored her efforts to get free until we were well into the forest, setting her and Nessie down not far from one of my favorite hunting spots.

Breathing deeply, I then moved toward the tangy scent of a mountain lion. Nessie's hunger spiked at the aroma and even with Tanya's warning for me to stop, I shot into the woods, intent on bringing my child something to eat. I knew Renesmee was clearly able to hunt, but I'd missed out on a year of it and was determined to be at least provide for her in this way. The wildcat never had a chance, so intent was I on bringing her something special. Dropping the still-thrashing feline at her feet, I dove back into the forest ignoring both Bella and Tanya this time. I'd heard the heartbeats of the deer the cat had been tracking.

_Well, I guess we'll just stay here,_ Tanya mentally snarked, bombarding my mind with her graphic thoughts.

So her reaction, as well as my Bella's, was comical when I threw two still–bleating deer at their feet, but it still wasn't the time for the talk Tanya wanted just yet. The burn in my throat was excruciating, stoked by the scent of the animals I'd gotten for my family. The herd of deer had scattered when I lunged into their midst to grab the first two, but they were no match for my speed, and I easily caught up to the fleeing herbivores. I barely registered the warm liquid sliding down my throat from the first one I took down; the second one was a little more fulfilling after a brief chase. After disposing of the bodies, I began to make my way back to where I'd left my wife, child, and friend.

I could hear Nessie's tinkling laughter a short distance away, and my lips curled up in response. Such simple things were worth it all…the sound of my child laughing…or friendship, I added, as Jacob's thoughts came into range. He'd followed us in human form, intent on asking if Nessie could accompany him back to the reservation in order to visit Renee and Phil. Bella had already informed him that it was okay as long as I agreed, and Jacob's thoughts on that were humorous. He knew my acceptance that Nessie would be protected with his life. He had done so once before, more than a year ago when we first stood against the Volturi. He also was aware that was good enough for me and that neither of us could deny Nessie anything…as long as it didn't put her in danger. But what intrigued me most about Jacob's present thoughts was the underlying need he had to have a "private" talk with me. He just wanted to know if I was really okay and was envisioning a long run in the woods to do so, just the two of us.

We'd definitely come a long way.

When I stepped through the trees to the small area where the three adults sat watching Nessie dancing in joy, Tanya glared at me. The monster issued a low chuckle at her as we moved over to kiss Nessie's head.

"Daddy, can I go?" Nessie asked, her chocolate eyes widening out, every bit her mother's eyes. She smiled a toothy smile as she did so, and I knew I was being manipulated.

Nessie squealed when I winked at her.

"C'mon Jake. I want to go see my grandma," she trilled in enthusiasm.

To his credit, Jacob went behind a large tree before he threw his shorts at me and re-emerged in wolf form. Without delay, Nessie leapt to his back, where I handed her his clothing, and within a twinkling of an eye, they were gone, the ground cover leaves moving slightly in the wake of the wolf's speed.

Nessie gone, it was time to face the music. A bare second after they left, Tanya was in my face, her palm smacking against my chest. "Good thing your child is gone, or I may have just had to educate her anyway," she snarled at me. "What the hell is your problem, feeding me, bossing me around, and acting as if you care what I do? I'm not some possession or concubine of yours!"

Tremors of aggression raced across my skin as the strawberry-blonde, tawny eyed succubus sneered at me. The monster snarled at her, air whistling across our lips and spreading out around us in a low but very hostile rumble. Heat flamed beneath my skin, inciting the monster within me.

"Edward!" Bella warned. She raised a hand to caution at me.

As if that was going to work. Perhaps, she'd really been cautioning Tanya. I'd never know, because her mind was as silent now as it had ever been. Tanya's eyes widened as I leaned over her aggressively, my height and posturing making me much more threatening than she'd ever seen. I didn't even realize that my lips had pulled back to show my teeth in a feral manner. Eyes black and face contorted with demand, I looked almost fiendish to her and my manner and appearance spooked my friend. Too long, I'd allowed Tanya to freely harass me, never reacting to her behavior except to ignore it as much as possible. My actions now intimidated her, and I saw the moment she retreated slightly. Instead of relaxing, I followed her. It was instinctual, and even while it happened, I struggled with why. I couldn't stop glaring until she finally turned her eyes from me. Now with my dominance established, I was ready to deal with her.

_Dominance?_ I stopped suddenly. _Where the hell had that thought come from? _

I searched for him, wanting to force him back…to take control away from him, but I couldn't find his thoughts. It was a stunning realization to acknowledge the actions and reactions had come from me.

Bella's intervention stopped my train of thought. "Edward, please," she pleaded at my side, putting her hand on my arm. She was asking me to calm down. Her touch grounded me, helping me to throw off some of the fire racing along my skin, inciting me. Reaching over, I placed my hand on Bella's letting her know I was regaining a measure of control. Looking back to my succubus friend, I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Are important to me!" I growled at Tanya, and the mangled words responding to her previous allegations were fierce and loud. "Need to be important to you!" Afraid the monster was going to overwhelm me, I moved away from Bella. Obviously I wasn't as in control as I'd thought, and I knew my thoughts were unclear.

Tanya was stunned, unable to understand my disjointed words. Bella was confused as well. Huffing, I paced, attempting to find a happy medium. How could I explain that Tanya needed to rediscover her self-worth when I myself couldn't even really verbalize why I had the belief? I just knew, deep down inside, that it important. The monster was insistent. It was imperative that I made her believe me, but for once my eloquence was gone. Perhaps the monster should just take over and growl at her.

"Damnit." Yeah, that helped. Then I growled sharply, or was it him? "Tanya, you need to be important to yourself."

I shook my head fiercely and ran my hands through my hair. This wasn't going well. This back and forth was killing me. Spinning back to stand in front of her, I pushed past the dueling dichotomy in my head to speak as calmly and clearly as I was able. Drawing a deep breath, I focused on the woman standing uncertainly in front of me.

"Tanya, for years, you and I have been the outliers. I have never sought out a mate, while you have. I am reserved while you are…extremely outgoing and adventurous. You're a leader, not a follower. In here…" I put a finger to her chest, just where her heart lay silent. "But, you've been focusing on the hole within yourself, trying to fill it."

"So what? I still don't understand where you are going with this, Edward!" she huffed, clueless. At least she wasn't glaring at me, and she wasn't denying the hole, even if she was annoyed that I pointed out what she had been focused on…sex with humans while she searched both the vampire and human worlds for her mate.

"Carlisle needs you. He needs you to lead with this, now," I pointed to her forehead. As her eyes widened further, the monster inside stirred, and I tasted the sweet flavor of victory as we agreed. "You're a good leader and have a strong heart. You brought your coven back from near-certain destruction centuries ago and chased Carlisle's dream before he was even born." I shifted my voice into a smooth, persuasive tone. "Think of Sasha, your aunt, your mother and creator, how you used your strength to lead your sisters from the brink of destruction at the hands of the Volturi. Think of how you learned to live with humans because you wanted to, not wanting to lose your human companions to your thirst. You chose to take a better way and lead your sisters in overcoming your baser instincts and sharing this new lifestyle."

I paused for a moment and glanced at Bella, who smiled and nodded for me to go on. "You and others have forgotten that your allure can be used to not only entice but lead. Have them liking and respecting you for something other than just…" I waved my hand toward her undeniably attractive face and body. "Help Carlisle, please. Lend him your expertise."

Her lips twitched at my acknowledgement and my pleading. If there was one thing Tanya was, it was that she was truly my friend. She'd hoped to be more, of course, and had pursued me to the point of driving me to distraction with her wiles, but from the moment she met Bella at our wedding, she'd acknowledged and respected that I would be nothing more than that; a very good friend.

Her thoughts as I spoke were scrambled, images of her time with her biological aunt and creator, the early establishment of their coven, the loss of Sasha, the fear and reinforced respect for vampire law at the hands of Aro and Caius, and her struggle to find herself following the deeply felt loss, and effort to assume responsibilities as she led her two sisters and later Carmen and Eleazar, clashed with the almost carefree existence her group had experienced over the long years of their existence. An existence followed largely due to her leadership.

It had been easy to become complacent, and I saw the minute she realized it. Of course, in true Tanya fashion, she couldn't just bow down easily to what I was suggesting. "Edward, it doesn't mean I can't have fun while I help Carlisle…whatever help I can give, because I'm not sure what I would be able to offer." Now she was starting to sound as jumbled as me.

"Lead first…" I hissed, my hackles rising, so to speak, with her insistence. I'd instinctually towered over her again. Her eyes widened at my renewed aggression, and I saw her step a half foot back in reaction.

"Geez…okay," she surrendered, having found enough strength to tease me, patting at my chest as if she was attempting to placate me. "Calm your feral self."

Although her reply was teasing, her internal commentary was colorful, mixing in what sounded like obscenities in her native tongue. I only understood half of it, but I got the gist of what she was saying. She was wrong at least on parts; my father had been married to my mother upon my birth. I waited for her mental rant to stop; the monster growled lightly internally.

"If I go along with this plan of yours, whatever 'that plan' may be, because I'm still a little confused right now…" her manner and thoughts turned impish "…are you still going to feed and pamper me?" At that, she arched an eyebrow at me. "I could get used to being treated like a queen," she declared.

Her last words had a very satisfied purr rumbling from my chest. She was getting there.

"Keep your head in the game, and I'll bring you tasty treats every night," I grunted. Never thought I'd bow down to being Tanya's servant. The monster whispered…_do whatever it takes…there is a means to the end._

Tanya broke out in laughter…slapping her hands to her thighs. "Bella! Please, my friend, think on the propositions I've discussed with you. This whole new controlling bastard is even more adorable and oh so desirable." Smiling broadly, she announced impishly, "I want the mountain lion the next time."

With that, she looked back toward the house. "You going to give me a clue as to what I should be doing here, Edward?"

As if I could tell her anything. She had more than a thousand years of knowledge on me, on most of us. I just knew that she was supposed to be helping Carlisle; I was still trying to figure out the why.

"You'll figure it out."

She turned serious then, her face showing pain, resolve, and a burning hatred. Her lips thinned as she stared off into the distance. Although I could hear her thoughts, she acted as if she had to tell me. "I hate them. For what they did to Sasha and Irina. I remember Aro's face. He delighted in the cruelty as he burned my aunt and that little boy." Her mind flashed to that day, of her holding her sisters together, forced to their knees as they faced the Volturi. Then her mind shifted to her lost sister. "Irina was a lesson to us, nothing more. Aro hides his true nature beneath a veneer. Caius is no better. He doesn't hide what he is. He loves killing. He certainly won't care who they hurt in their planned destruction of us."

Tanya paused for a moment, then looked back to me adding, "Although you seem so taken with Marcus, Edward, I know very little of him. He wasn't there when Aro and Caius passed judgment on Sasha and Vasilii. I can't tell you that I won't want to destroy him for the pain he's caused me from simply being a part of them."

Again, she was getting there. I just smiled at her.

"Humph!" she grunted at me, perplexed by my persistent silence on the matter and angry enough to let me know it. "I'm going back to the house." Then she smirked victoriously. "I'll tell everyone that I only kicked your ass a little." With that slap at me, she took off.

Minx! Speaking of a minx…turning to the love of my life, I found her leaning against a tree, smirking. It was a sign of trust on her part that I'd been capable of handling myself with Tanya. As always, she had entirely too much trust in my control.

"I'm sure that there is a plan in that brain of yours," she said trustingly and sauntered toward me. Both the beast and I immediately focused on the gentle sway of her hips.

"There is, love. It's confusing for me; it is still muddled between him and me, but she needs to think right now, not be the mask she wears. I..." I couldn't put it to words, but her touch stopped me. The brush of her hand down my cheek was soft and then she held my chin between her two fingers.

"I trust you," she said conclusively, placing her cheek against me in a sign of it.

I felt my nostrils flare, drawing in the perfume of her scent. I would never tire of it.

Snatching her to me, I wrapped her in my arms, twirling her around in a dance-like movement. We hadn't danced since our wedding, I realized, and never with her as an immortal. In a flowing manner, I led us through the trees and began to hum. _Claire De Lune_, at first, but then, as we navigated through the woods, I switched to several more favorites, the sounds of the insects around us and the birds in the distance adding an accompanying harmony to my song.

As the evening began to draw near, the sunlight slowly fading from the cloud cover above us, I danced with Bella, soft sighs of satisfaction being the only interruption to my song when she laid her cheek against my chest. Arm around her waist, other hand joined with hers and cradled against my chest, I carried us through the forest. Short steps around tree roots became an opportunity to steal a quick kiss, while a slight jump across a creek gave me the opportunity to pirouette mid-air. A log fallen across a gorge allowed me to carry her against me samba-style, feathering my lips along the curve of her neck, while a large spider web moistened with dew provided a visual masterpiece above us. We continued our trek through the wood, lost in the music of our own making.

I felt her grin when she realized where we were headed. When we broke through the tree line into our meadow, I felt her grin transform into a large smile. In the middle of the beautiful oasis, I stopped moving, allowing us to just sway together. The gentle motion and her body pressed to mine soothed me.

"I'm scared," she said softly against my chest.

It was the first time she'd vocalized any fear, and it made me furious. Rage raced through me knowing she felt threatened, and in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to tear into Aro. I tightened my arms around her before saying, "You and Nessie are my life. The two of you were the only thing I clung to for my sanity with the last shreds of my being when I thought I was going mad." I backed up slightly so that she could see my sincerity. "With my last ounce of strength, I won't allow anything to hurt you or her," I promised fervently.

"Tell me about your time there," she begged. "If you can," she added, pulling us back tightly together.

"You know how he captured me." The memory of the anger and despair I'd felt as they carried me away from Seattle leaked through, making my words odd and constrained.

"Yes! He used your love for me to do it," she viciously spat.

I started to argue that he couldn't touch our love, but her observation was technically correct. He'd used my memories and accurately guessed what I would do.

"You know what he wanted me to do, what his original plan was." Talking to my wife about being possibly forced to dishonor her was…difficult to say the least.

Furious over the thought, she could only nod in a jerky manner.

"His bargain was simple - if I had sex with them, I would be granted animal blood. Otherwise, I had two choices…either starve or kill one of the girls he locked in with me. I held out for a number of months, refusing to either rape or drain the women he threw into my cell. This girl…young woman, really…she sacrificed herself to save me, Bella. She asked me to drink from her, so that I wouldn't starve. Beth was her name." Flashes of the horrors I'd endured in Volterra raced through my head, and although I expected to cower, I didn't. Instead, I wanted to rage and destroy and find retribution for how Aro had treated me, how he'd stripped me of my clothing in an effort to dehumanize me and demolish my honor. I wanted to slash at him for the months I'd starved and slowly come apart.

We'd stopped dancing, and now my mate looked up to me with large, sorrow-filled eyes. "I was honest with her about what had happened and what would happen. She decided she'd rather die helping me, than to the fate that awaited her. She asked about you and Nessie, and she prayed, Bella…" my voice broke. "She prayed to God that He would return me to my family."

"I owe her everything then," Bella said solemnly, nodding her head slowly as if she was coming to some resolution within her mind. "Family…does she have any?" I knew my mate's heart. She would want to help them in some way…show her gratitude in whatever way possible. I wouldn't have expected less.

"Yes. I have a message to deliver to them, once we defeat Aro. I will deliver it, Bella. I promised her."

"Of course. Where are they?"

"Florida, of all places." I rolled my eyes at the coincidence.

She grinned, imagining the difficulty we could have with the sunshine and all. We'd done it to see Renee, so there should be no reason we couldn't manage it again. Alice would be able to help us.

Bella's mind shifted again. "How long were you there before…" she trailed off looking positively livid.

She couldn't even say it, but I filled in the blank in my mind. Before I went mad, before the monster found a way to take over, before everything I thought was reality crashed down around me, before I slaughtered my first human in more than seven decades.

"Four months."

She gasped and pulled back so that she could see my face clearly. "You didn't drink for four months!" she shrieked. At the negative shake of my head, her fists clenched and her eyes darkened to black in rage. "But she convinced you to feed off her," she said, flatly.

"No, Bella. You did."

_She's offering herself freely, selflessly. Do you think I would do any less if I were in her place? Do you think I will hold this against you when I see you again? She's offering you a gift of gratitude, love. Accept it with grace; the same grace you've shown as you have faced all of your challenges these past months._

I heard the words as clearly as I had that day.

At Bella's shocked expression, I caressed her cheek to soothe her before I attempted to explain my last statement to her. "Or at least the delusion I kept having of you did. You begged me to accept her offer, and that she was making it a gift of gratitude and love. I didn't want to, even though my body demanded the blood she was offering. But you pleaded, and I was weak." I lowered my eyes from her in discomfort.

"YOU WERE NOT WEAK!" she yelled at me. The monster roared in agreement.

My face gave it away, that there was more to the story.

"What happened?" she said in a gentler tone.

"Aro had picked her intentionally."

She cocked her head to the side in confusion. I explained more.

"She looked remarkably like you, Bella. He hoped that it would break me enough to have sex with her. He knows that the need to have sex in a vampire is almost as strong as the need to feed. He figured she would be my turning point either way." He'd been right…

"But she wasn't," my love insisted. "You were not a murderer! If anything, you were an angel of mercy, saving her from a much worse fate. She never felt her death, I bet. But the Guard would have raped and mutilated her, making it as painful as possible."

"It wasn't that way, Bella. This thing inside me took over, as soon as she began to give permission. The delusions I was having of you…it was really the monster just attempting to get me to break. He did what Aro hadn't been able to; to dishonor what Carlisle had taught me, to drink of her blood."

He snarled inside my head. _Idiot…_

"After she was dead, and I realized what I'd done, he took over. I was mindless, killing the humans as soon as they threw them into my cell. The last was a child, Bella. She had chocolate brown eyes and copper ringlets."

Her fist went to her mouth as she realized what that would've done to me.

"That was the breaking point for me. I went mad. I…the monster…attempted to attack Aro. I nearly destroyed several of his Guard. It took four of his strongest to pin me down. Jane helped with that. And finally, he left me to starve."

A long pause slid by before Bella asked: "How long…before we got to you?"

This was all so very difficult for us, to talk about what had happened in Volterra. Her words were becoming as disjointed as mine were. She was attempting to ask how long I'd gone unfed, after I attacked Aro.

"I don't know; I lost track of time. Obviously longer than four months, since I'd made it that long before Beth, because I can't remember ever being that thirsty. Probably at least six months, since you say I was gone just over a year, and that would add up."

She placed both palms against my chest, fanning over where my dead heart lay. "Thank God your common sense finally won out and you started feeding on the humans. You were almost gone, Edward, when we got to you. That might have been the only thing that gave you enough strength to last."

"Common sense!" I barked out and started to counter her assumption, but she put her finger over my lips.

"You did what you had to do to survive. To get home to me, just like Beth prayed. She knew that she wouldn't live, Edward, but she hoped you would. If you don't honor that request, you are dishonoring her." Her eyes blazed with conviction, and her words stunned me.

Dishonoring Beth…the woman who'd saved me at the time. Just like the woman before me, who'd saved me more times than she would ever know. I would never dishonor… Damn! Bella was twisting me all around, my thoughts scattering to the winds.

"Edward…" she grabbed my hands, pulling me back to focus on her "…would you feel me a monster if I'd been in the same position? If I'd taken a gift offered in order to survive long enough to get back to you?"

NO! Bella could never be a monster. The thought she would even believe that I could consider her that way; I couldn't answer and expected the monster to growl at me, but he was silent. Finally I forced out, "NO!"

"Do you believe that woman gave her life to someone who didn't deserve it?"

"Bel…"

She didn't let me finish my sentence. She knew me too well, that I was going to argue. "Edward Cullen, if you don't respect that woman and her assessment of the situation and the man she chose to help, you aren't the man I thought I married." She threw her hands to her hips, and I could tell she was furious at me for some reason.

Bella's anger was like fuel to a fire, feeding the flame that had simmered below the surface. I couldn't let this drive a wedge between us. She was trying to make my killing Beth, my drinking of her blood some honorable thing.

"I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO!" I screamed, the words ripping out of me and shrieking across the meadow. Didn't she understand! I couldn't see it as God given, or led, or an answer to a prayer. It had been about survival. And then my words snapped back around, flying across the land to come back to slap me in the face. If a vampire could feel dizzy, I did.

_I'd done what I had to do… _Given Beth a peaceful death and honored her desires, saved myself, and made decisions that at the time were the most likely possibilities to hopefully get back to my love.

I felt the need to sit and instead collapsed to my knees on the ground.

I'd been here before. In this exact spot, in this exact situation, with the woman before me, faced with the task of balancing the essence of who I was. Of course, the first time she'd been a fragile human, and her blood had called to me like nothing else, and I'd struggled. But what I'd found then as I'd laid with her in the meadow and she'd softly brushed her fingertips lovingly across my skin was that the monster in me, the thing that was feral and vicious and wicked about me, bowed to that which needed to be more. He gave way to cherish the being with me and risk loving her. I'd known then that the thirst for love was more important than the thirst for the blood that ran through her.

I'd believed then that love had perhaps silenced the monster in me forever. But I'd been wrong. Because the monster had really just lain dormant, loving her as much as me. It'd taken an extraordinary threat to my existence to awaken the monster. Hands to my hair, face pushed into my knees, I sobbed and felt Bella's arms surround me.

"Edward, I love you. All of you. I told you that the first time we came here. Maybe I didn't use the precise words, but I told you as best as I could."

"That you would rather die than stay away from me. That is what you told me, and I wanted to rage at it. Because you were putting your life at risk just being around me; but had you left, it would have destroyed me."

She forced my face to her. "Exactly! Because to be apart would kill us. And you knew that even when you were being tortured, and you did what it took to keep your promise to me." She was glorious in her fervor. "The promise that you would never leave me again. You did what it took to keep your word to me, Edward. I cannot tell you how much that means to me, and I know you'd do it again, no matter what obstacle you face. Because that is who you are."

Who I was?

Who was I?

The earth figuratively shook beneath me.

Not a monster and I…not different beings…parts of one…parts of me.

The air rushed into me on a gasp.

NO! It couldn't be! My hands snatched at my hair, pulling at it in agitation, and I heard Bella cry out beside me. One hundred years of questioning everything, hating what I'd become, challenging Carlisle and ripping his heart out! One hundred years of believing that a monster clawed inside me battling against everything I felt right. Years of doubt and loathing. So much wasted time as I battled that which didn't need to be contested. Good and Evil, Right and Wrong, Light and Dark…

Oh God!

God…

Beth's God…and Carlisle's. Mine? Was it possible?

It was all so very simple, but as was such in life, the simplest of things were most often the hardest to accept.

Love… Hope… Forgiveness… Mercy… A soul…

The howl rose from my chest and tore from my throat. It was a purging of things better left unsaid…those dark things that crawled around inside and convinced you of your unworthiness. Sinister things that lived in every being and I'd heard too often in other's thoughts. Things that drove you crazy if you allowed them and convinced you to sabotaged your happiness.

Despair… Unworthiness… Disbelief… Hatred… Condemnation…

I'd been letting them win…and the monster had been fighting against them. I'd been fighting even though I hadn't recognized it.

And as I threw my hand out to my mate, needing an anchor, I realized that the day was ending, giving over to the night.

As I held Bella, my eyes connecting with hers in a moment of true understanding and dawning hope, the shadows crawled across the land around us as the long minutes passed, and I grappled with repercussions. The movement of the changing light gave Bella an ethereal beauty as she watched me with solemn eyes…eager eyes…eyes that told me they loved me, believed in me, even as everything in my life shifted and my premises fell, like battered walls, around me - crashing, roaring, disintegrating.

Twilight.

I'd once thought it was the darkest time of the day, but now I could only see it as a new beginning, the time to rest before the new day dawned. A time to take stock in what the day had given, and what the morrow might bring. A time to be thankful and release burdens.

I searched for _his_ thoughts about my realizations and was met with silence.

He was gone.

Well maybe not gone, but tranquil. It was a quietness I suspected was absolute. And only I, in my angst ridden, turbulent, moody self could feel a degree of sadness at that.

I was rendered mute by the significance of it all, but I could see that Bella didn't need any explanation. She knew and was willing to allow us the silence to fashion this brave new world. And as she laid her head against my chest, and I pulled her down to lie in the grass so that we could watch the clouds begin to obscure the full moon, I realized I was ready. Ready to begin living with _everything_ that was within me.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts – particularly about this chapter since it was so big for our beloved vamp.<strong>

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I say this every week, but I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. Without your guidance, this story would not be half as good. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! Your input, rewording, and care are what makes it what it is!**

**To crmcneill, so…Master…the end begins…**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. **

**My many thanks to Nikki, who signed on for the arduous task of pre-reading this for me. Her thoughts for clarifications, additions, and subtractions (smile) were brilliant. HA! My many thanks, madam!**

**And to my beta, Cold One Paul. He puts so much of himself into each of these chapters. I can't tell you how helpful it is to have a man's input…when you are writing a man's POV! ;)**

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><p>The sun began to color the sky before I rose to my elbows above Bella. It was an unusually clear dawn; the light breaking over the horizon turning the darkness light in various hues of pinks, reds, and yellows. In the distance, I heard the morning melodies of various birds. I couldn't smell any hint of rain in the air, so it would seem that the day would be a rare sunny one.<p>

Bella's hand brushed down my cheek and jaw, her fingertips sending fire racing across my skin as they feathered across my restored body. A rough growl tore out of me, and I fell prey to my desires, nipping at her wrist with enough pressure to warn her. My body was replete and my soul in tune with hers. It was a rare feeling to be at peace with the world, and it was one I wanted to savor. I'd spent the night ravaging her, and was fully capable and desirous of starting all over again, but I had to force restraint on my instinctual needs. We needed to get home. I wanted to talk with Carlisle about what I'd come to conclude.

Pushing to my knees, I possessively looked down at my wife from my kneeling position. She was spread out across the grass, her legs between mine, her breasts rising and falling with unnecessary breaths, tempting me to return to her. I watched in fascination as she moved her arms above her head and stretched indolently. It was the most incredibly erotic sight, but still not my favorite. _That_ was when she came at the peak of her arousal, gripping me, arching into me in abandon - when her eyes went wide, the gold almost disappearing into the black. On the occasion I wasn't devouring her lips, they would part on a gasp just before she called out my name in reckless abandon. Yes, that was my favorite image of her. Wild and feral, her base instincts and needs taking over and rendering her slave to our mutual passion.

Had she been human, I was certain I would have heard her back pop and crack at the way she stretched. Instead, I felt the heat rise in me at the arching of her body. I smirked when she gasped, seeing my reaction. But when she began to rise to touch me, I placed a hand to her chest, restraining her, bending back down to kiss at the curve of her neck where I'd marked her with my teeth. I'd bitten her again, in the heat of the moment and leaned in to lick lightly over the still pink mark in a soothing manner. It was the second time I'd marked her. The first time being when I'd been out of control, having just returned from Volterra and running on pure instinct…and then there had been last night as I let loose and experienced it all, the gentleness of our first love along with the raw hunger that swirled in me.

For now, she purred at the feel of my tongue on her clavicle, and I hissed as her nails scratched across my scalp. Leaning my forehead against her, I indulged in the caress for a few moments.

"We need to head back to the house," I finally admitted, fighting against the urge to ignore those duties.

"I know," she said in a sultry voice. She smiled seductively up at me, the golden of her eyes darkening slightly. "But damn, I don't want to." I smirked as she tugged on my hair and snickered. "Do you think Alice has left us some clothes at least?"

"I'm certain she has; if not, we sure are going to shock them." Emmett had no reservations about walking into the house in all his naked glory, but for me to do so would be a first.

Her laughter broke clear, filling the air around us and bathing me in joy. Soaking in the sound, I pulled from her and rose to my feet. Lacing my fingers through hers, I tugged her up and then placed my arm around her shoulders. Having torn Bella's clothes from her, there was nothing I could do about our nakedness…so without an ounce of remorse, we began moving toward home.

We found the clothes that Alice had laid out not far from the river. Bella chuckled quietly when she found the ornate silver brush resting on top of her clothes pile and held it out to me. It seemed appropriate that I would be the one to work the snarls in her hair out, considering it had been my fingers that tangled the strands in the first place. Just to make amends to my wife, I fashioned the chocolate silk in a fancy French braid, securing it with the band that Alice had wrapped around the brush. I'd practiced my braiding skills with Nessie before I'd been taken, so I thought that the result was attractive. But I couldn't help but lean down and kiss the other scar where I'd bitten her just at the hairline.

She had such beautiful skin, and I was marring it. I had to stop doing it…or if nothing else, at least latch onto the same spots again. Knowing how little control I had now in regards to mating with her, I felt it was good to be realistic.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked, and I realized she'd turned to catch the smirk on my face.

"You, my love. Always you."

Shaking her head slightly at me, she giggled, and it was adorable. "You are such a dork," she teased me, and it was a test I couldn't back down from.

Snarling, I caught her wrists in my hand and twisted her so that I held her bound tightly against me. Then lowering my lips to within centimeters of hers, I slowly traced the outline of her lips with my tongue. Her eyes darkened at the sensation. "A very sexy, dominating, luscious dork," she corrected, panting slightly.

"Much better," I uttered darkly, taking her plump lower lip between my teeth for a quick nip before linking our fingers and pulling her forward. "Now come, let's go see the family."

~DS~

The dark-suited Romanians were the first we came upon. Standing like sentinels at the edge of the forest line near the family house they awaited us. I wondered if they'd heard us coming, but when I caught their thoughts, I realized instead that they'd been patiently waiting…as they'd done for millennia.

"Edward…Bella…" Stefan murmured.

"…we would like to speak to you," Vladimir continued smoothly.

Their pattern and cadence of speaking had once disturbed me, but now seemed oddly mesmerizing. Cocking my head, I looked into their clear burgundy eyes and saw what fueled their dedication. It was desperation. The need to destroy the Volturi clawed within them, writhing painfully in their chests, strangling all enjoyment from their life in an effort to focus them on their crusade.

"You desire me to lead the fight against the Volturi. That is my father's right. However, I will be at his side. There is no reason to fear that I won't."

My frankness actually stunned them, and Bella smirked at their astonishment.

"And you, young one?" Vladimir asked of my mate.

"Where Edward goes, I go." I suspected that she wouldn't be far from me in the upcoming battle. I also wouldn't put it past her not to attack Aro herself. It was a tossup between the two of us as to who wanted him more.

Stefan stepped a foot forward, clearly taking on the role of being the one to speak for the pair. "Your skills are imperative to the success," he informed Bella. "We would like to offer to serve as your protectors during the upcoming battle."

Hissing in reaction as their thoughts seared me, I realized that their motives were far deeper than just revenge for their lost dynasty. Memories of their wives raced through their minds, threatening to drown them in agony. Their strange quietness and precise movements made sense to me now; they were the physical representations of immortals barely holding themselves together.

Bella shook her head at them in uncertainty. "Why would you offer to do that?"

Both pairs of dark burgundy eyes glanced at me, their thoughts vividly recalling the devastation they had felt upon learning that Aro and the Volturi had destroyed their mates, before returning their thoughts to my spouse. A faint growl stirred out of me at their possessiveness toward her. No, they didn't see her as a potential mate, nor did they see my mate – and myself - as a possible addition to their coven, but they did see her as the key to making sure I was fully focused on the fight to come.

"Exactly what do you propose?" I was curious to hear their spoken and unspoken thoughts.

"No one has ever survived Aro's torture before…" Stefan said in a dark, flat voice. His anger was palpable.

"…and that fact combined with your gift makes you a powerful ally," Vladimir continued without interruption. "You are an anomaly to our kind now, an individual who has already defeated him. The only one… That alone guarantees you our utmost dedication. We'll protect Isabella so that she can protect this group…"

"…and so that I can focus on destroying the Volturi," I broke into their stride, joining their strange pattern of speaking for each other. Both smiled at my smooth insertion, as if I was an honored addition.

"Yes." The word came out as a hiss between them. It felt as if I was being examined, and when I heard their thoughts, I knew I was right. And their examination did not find me wanting. They were pleased with my reactions to their proposal and their accurate assessment that I'd come to peace with my more aggressive side.

Vladimir glided forward, pacing in a circle around Bella and me, our eyes following his stride. "Young leader, you've become one again. It is time."

I smirked, knowing what was to come next as I heard another set of thoughts moving toward our little group.

"Vladimir, Stefan…I do not appreciate you approaching my son and daughter outside of the established protocol and order." Carlisle stood just feet from us.

As I had become something…someone…new, my father seemed to be undergoing his own transformation. It seemed as if he had gone through one of these rare but powerful changes among our kind. First with Esme and now with me. Gone were the trappings of a young doctor. Instead, hair blown by the breeze and disordered, clad in dark hiking boots, worn jeans, and a black button up, he looked more the part of some fashion model…until you saw his eyes. There the fervor for justice burned as brightly as his compassion. For Carlisle did see the oncoming fight as one of compassion. Compassion versus tyranny. Justice versus dictatorship. Family versus servitude.

"It's fine, Carlisle," I assured, grinning when he turned to me and cocked his eyebrow in question. "Vladimir and Stefan have just volunteered to be Bella's personal bodyguards. Of course, their motives aren't entirely altruistic; however, I will take their offer if we feel it is a good strategy."

"Hmm…" my father murmured, moving to take his chin in his hand, rubbing his jaw line with his index finger as if in contemplation. Privately, he spoke to me, _Son, I see we need to speak. However, let me manage this first._

Narrowing his eyes at the Romanians, he reprimanded them. "Any discussion of tactics will be done with the group, not separately. Don't fall into the same patterns of the Volturi - a few assuming they know the best for the whole."

Stefan shrugged, unconcerned. "Unlike those we rally against, Carlisle, there is no risk that your son will betray you. Your bonds are too pure, too strong and powerful."

With that, as if the matter was settled, they moved in eerie unison back toward the house, leaving my father and my mate with me.

"I have to admit this. They spook me in a way," Bella said in a very low voice, pitched only for our ears, not wanting the two ethereal ancients to overhear. "However, I do believe that they would sacrifice themselves for me as they say. They're invested in their personal goals and vengeance enough for that."

"That is without doubt," Carlisle reassured her. "Victory means everything to them." His focus, however, was on me. Squeezing my hand in affection, Bella let go and moved toward the house, intent on giving us privacy.

I smirked when Carlisle trailed his hand across her shoulder in greeting as she passed him. Unlike when the Romanians had watched her, I felt nothing but peace. He loved Bella as he loved me, and he would die fighting for us and my mother and siblings. He hesitated only long enough for her to enter the house.

"Walk with me?" he requested.

Smiling, I turned to join him as we went deeper into the forest.

The morning sun burned brightly overhead, causing our skin to sparkle and flash as the beams of light filtered here and there through the tree limbs overhead. We walked for several miles before allowing ourselves to speak.

_You look well,_ he observed.

"Bella and I spent the night in the meadow," I informed him.

He briefly glanced at me, assessing me in true clinical fashion before his face broke into a blinding smile. _A fine repast, but I don't think sex solely explains the look of contentment I see upon your face._

I couldn't help the mirth that ripped from my chest, having a million memories of Carlisle appearing like a docile cat after his time away with Esme. Bella had only been given a year after our marriage. I had much time to make up for.

"Well, she took me to task, challenging me on the dichotomy I was continuing."

That brought his progress to a halt. He whipped around to face me, and I was grateful that we were far enough away from the house to hold our private conversation.

"Carlisle, I have been so wrong, to fight you."

"But you haven't…"

I interrupted his words. "Yes, I have." Touching my hand to my chest, I tried to make my words clear. "I understand now, in here, what you've been attempting to teach me. That we are creatures of great passion, both gentle and ferocious. I thought for so long, that for us to be creations of your God that we had to be just the one, not the fluidity of both. It is this philosophy that led me to believe that I couldn't possess a soul, that none of us could." I stopped for a moment to really choose the right words.

"And?" he murmured encouraging me to continue, his thoughts hopeful and almost joyous.

"I am solely a man, albeit perhaps one that has been radically changed by both you…and that whom you believe in."

"The monster?" he asked, although he already knew the answer.

"What monster?"

I startled when he moved so fast, but I calmed the instinctual reaction to lash out when his arms surrounded me. Fully in control, I returned the embrace, soaking in the love of the man who was my father for all intents and purposes.

"We must speak more on this later, Edward. After we've destroyed Aro and Caius. I demand hours…no, days...as my due for your 'fighting me.' I want to understand, to hear your thoughts, for us to engage in discourse about what you've determined, but when I can explore and enjoy them, not under duress. Understand?" he said, still clutching me tightly.

I nodded, afraid that if I answered verbally it would be in a sob. Man I may be, but I was still boy enough to enjoy my father's embrace.

~DS~

"They're coming," Jasper announced as soon as we stepped out of the forest line. He and Emmett had awaited us just feet inside the clearing, in almost the exact spot as the Romanians had stood. "Alice saw Aro sending Demetri and Felix to Florida to capture Renee and Phil. They should be arriving in Florida in a few hours and will be at their house after dark tonight. He is going to be furious when he is informed that they have disappeared. Alice sees him flying into a rage and ordering an expedited movement."

"That doesn't sound like him. He is usually more calculating. Is Alice sure?" Carlisle asked, knowing how subjective Alice's visions were.

"Yes, at least for now. Of course, once Felix and Demetri return, something could occur that changes it all, but for now, she believes that finding out his initial attempt to manipulate our family has been thwarted will erode his control even more."

"The Romanians have assessed that possibility correctly," I admitted. "We've turned aside his schemes twice. Once when he brought the Guard here regarding Renesmee's existence and then second, when you were able to rescue me. In effect, we have outwitted him on two occasions, and Vladimir and Stefan have said that once was more than enough to unhinge him, as it challenges his invincibility. He has not been thwarted in a millennium, and this will be salt on his wound. I think they are right. Proof that we've outmaneuvered him again will shake his mental foundation."

"Edward, are you thinking of specific things that you overheard while you were there?" Emmett asked quickly from beside Jasper. He was pondering whether my thoughts on the subject had factual basis or if they were solely based on emotions. Emmett might present himself as the family clown, but when faced with a threat to his family, his joviality dissipated and he became serious and calculating.

Closing my eyes, I focused on the jumble of images and words in my head, attempting to assess and sort through what I had overheard in my year of captivity. "Caius and Athenodora are concerned about Aro. They feel that he is becoming unduly focused on us."

Jasper's eyes narrowed. "I always saw Caius as being the bloodthirsty one. Why would he be concerned about Aro focusing on us? It would seem that he would be Aro's primary supporter. He's the fighter of the triad." Emmett might become the protector of the family when we were threatened, but Jasper became the strategist under the same circumstances. He was assessing every nuance, every thought, and every possibility. So deep was the logic he utilized to dissect our circumstances that his mind was a delightful, if not challenging, one to follow. I respected him and his skills immensely.

"He is, but his mindset is very complex, and is difficult to really put to words. Put simply, Caius is about revenge, swift and ruthless enforcement of the law, and acquisitions." I paused and thought for a moment as I sorted through my impressions and knowledge of the vampire. "However, Caius has ascertained that we would fight to the end for our family, so he thinks that any attempt to acquire the gifted ones of us will end in failure. Therefore, he does not want to waste his time and effort in Aro's schemes. He has pegged Carlisle to a pacifist role and believes that we will continue along our prior plans of living in and among humans and drinking from animals. He was done with me as soon as he realized I wouldn't be party to producing any more hybrids. His vote was to destroy me immediately. It was Aro that wanted to prolong the torture in an attempt to lure Carlisle in and pay the family back for thwarting his covetousness."

As I spoke, I listened to the machinations of Jasper's mind. He was attempting to see if there was anything in what I'd revealed that could be used to drive a wedge between the two leaders, Aro and Caius. If so, it would be a bit easier to weaken the focus of the Volturi's impending attack.

I responded to his thoughts. "No, Jasper. They will remain unified in their pursuit, even if the direction is at the whims of Aro's desires. I was just thinking out loud in response to the Romanians' revelations. The last time Aro challenged us here, he was doing so with a mindset flavored by his omnipotence. He was utterly confident that he could gain his acquisitions. This time, he will be coming with fewer assurances. I believe this will likely affect his strategy. Last time, it was with a multilayered approach, but most of what he had planned was theoretical and intellectual in nature. We've placed this fight on a more emotional level with the message composed and sent to the masses."

"It'll be about strength this time," Emmett deduced.

"Yes, I think so. The witnesses that he called upon before…he may attempt to force them into fighting on the Volturi's side. He'll want numbers. But of course, he'll still come with strategy, because regardless of how our efforts may shake him, he is still Aro."

Carlisle had remained quiet, but his thoughts were decisive. He looked to Jasper and asked the question foremost in his mind. "Is he going to expect me to be the one leading our defenses?"

"After your message, I suspect so," Jasper responded.

"Then he'll plan to attempt to derail me, operating on emotions." He began pacing along the forest line. "Aro has had access to my mind for decades. He believes he knows me well and will predicate his behavior and actions on that knowledge. He knows that the manner in which he treated Edward would infuriate me, and he will seek to capitalize on that. Between us and the family, he is partially right. I cannot stomach sitting by after what he has done, but the desire to find a peaceful resolution still resides in the deepest parts of my heart." He stopped and narrowed his gaze on the three of us. "Don't let me falter."

He was wise to recognize the diametrically opposed desires of his heart.

"You won't cave, Carlisle," Emmett said quickly. "He is coming to destroy this time. He could care less about acquiring any of us." Jasper and I both nodded in agreement.

When we entered the house, Alice's eyes zeroed in on me. Her grin told me that she'd seen everything that had occurred with me the prior evening, and she all but vibrated in excitement. When I grinned, she flew into my arms with the force of a small hurricane. Patting my face she chirped, "See, I told you. You were both necessary to the whole."

"Yin to Yang," I joked.

"Peanut Butter and jelly," she laughed, and we both made gagging sounds at the thought of the combination.

_Let me show you something,_ she thought. Then she flooded me with beautiful visions of Bella and I…Nessie at her wedding to Jacob…our grandchildren. As my eyes widened, she added, _I see us winning Edward. I don't know how yet, but I do. You do something…something that changes everything. Do you know what it is?_

I shook my head.

_Love. It has to do with love. I'm overwhelmed by it._

"And how is it that you're seeing this?" I asked, nodding toward Jacob and Seth. If we were about pointing out the obvious changes, I was important to note hers.

"I quit doubting myself." I cocked my eyebrow at her, expecting a better explanation. That she decided to answer it verbally wasn't a fluke. She was doing it to empower us all. "I was afraid. When the wolves began blocking my vision, I felt as if a large part of me had been torn away. My visions…they have been my own personal monster." When I went to shake my head in disagreement, she smirked. "Edward Cullen, you'll give me the time to explain."

I grinned at being called to task in front of my family, friends, and soon to be compatriots at war by the pixie.

"I was abandoned in a hospital by my human family and then hunted by James because of the images I saw. Then I was able to use my gift for good, allowing it to lead me to you…the family. But as you know, everything comes with a cost. Then just as we needed my gift the most, it disappears. It has been my own personal demon, Edward. Maybe I didn't want to destroy my other half like you did, but I certainly have allowed the separation of my halves to hinder me. I realized that when I was looking for you I refused to allow anything but the need to find you in my heart. Last night, as I watched you, I realized that you have always feared what you thought you'd become, and it was then that I recognized what had taken over within me as well."

I grinned at her, realizing what she was about to say. "The wolves…it is a natural aversion, but you know since Jacob and Seth won't go away, I've learn to love them." Said wolves barked out in laughter, but Alice continued over their howling. "You can't fear what you love."

"You never feared the wolves anyway, Alice," I corrected, knowing that she could truly be a most ferocious fighter.

"No, damn mutts just seemed to be wired to mess with me. But not Jacob and Seth anymore…" she grinned. Then the levity disappeared and she looked at me with serious eyes. "He's coming, Edward."

"But this time, we don't fear him. Do we, Alice?"

"Nope," she said, popping the "p" in the same way that Jacob did. It was a most annoying habit. "We just retain a healthy distrust and recognition of his power."

"But he's lost the advantage," I added, grinning in savage delight. Again the vision of me destroying Aro tantalized me.

"Exactly! Because he doesn't know that the fear no longer keeps me from seeing him." She looked as vicious as I must. Here was Jasper's frightening little monster.

"Which means, we've gained ours." I saw us through the other's thoughts. We looked like twin avenging angels, ready to wreck destruction down upon our enemies.

"Edward, would you care to share your wisdom with the less talented of us?" Nahuel finally spoke. Our friends around were as curious. The rest of our family, aside from Bella, just shook their heads, used to the peculiar relationship between Alice and myself.

Bella came to stand beside me and I placed my arms around her and Alice's shoulders before looking around to assess the group that crowded the space around us. With the wolves who would come to our defense and the immortals in the room, we numbered just at fifty.

"I'm not so sure my answer should be labeled at wisdom, because it's simple really. Gandhi …" I grinned at Carlisle knowing the respect he had for the teacher "…once said, power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear of punishment. As Carlisle said in his missive to Aro, we no longer recognize his rule over us, so fear, which has been his greatest weapon, has no hold here. It isn't that we'll go into this fight without trepidation." I stopped to think of my revelations of the prior evening and how they'd shaped me for the better. "It is just that we won't allow it to define who we are."

As those around me pondered the implications, recognizing in each of their hearts that their dread of the leader had been based in the fear of reprisal, I remained still, watching them with the eyes of a man ready to fight for what I cherished.

Aro would come. In fact, I suspected that Alice would see him starting for our home within the next few days. But what the millennia-old leader didn't know was that his reign of terror had already started to crumble beneath him like shifting sands. Even if we were destroyed, my family and friends had started a wave of change that he would be helpless to staunch or control.

I just hoped that we in the end, we would be able to build a brighter and better world from the ashes of his dynasty.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts – I love my vamp stories even if they don't get the crazy amounts of reviews that all humans do. Each and every review is cherished. I apologize for not replying to them personally, but I have been attempting to write as much as possible.<strong>

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I say this every week, but I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. Without your guidance, this story would not be half as good. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! Your input, rewording, and care are what makes it what it is!**

**To crmcneill, thanks for letting me have a hand in the story you envisioned so long ago.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. **

**My many thanks to Nikki, who signed on for the arduous task of pre-reading this for me. Her thoughts for clarifications, additions, and subtractions (smile) are brilliant. HA! My many thanks, madam!**

**And to my beta, Cold One Paul. He puts so much of himself into each of these chapters. I can't tell you how helpful it is to have a man's input…when you are writing a man's POV! ;)**

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><p>"I'll accompany Jacob in order to talk with Sam," I informed the group of immortals assembled in the yard and on the porch. The gathering had expanded to the extent that our house could not accommodate us all.<p>

My statement was in reaction to the increasing need of most of our allies to confirm the wolves' intentions. Upon Carlisle's and my return from our father-son talk, further debates of strategy had become the focus, and the primary topic of interest had been the wolves. Last time, just the presence of the Quileute had been enough to give the Volturi pause and forced them to stop and listen, but this time, we believed that the presence of the wolves wouldn't have a similar effect this time…the shock value of our lupine allies obsolete. If anything, Caius would have part of the guard dedicated to decimating the wolves... and perhaps their families afterwards, so we would need to be even better prepared and decisive than before.

And unlike when we'd shown the wolves our way of fighting when Victoria threatened with the newborn army, we hadn't thought to practice tactics with them when we'd defended Renesmee. Many of the newly transformed, younger Quileute had never witnessed us in action, and with the stalemate of our New Year's Eve confrontation only the precursor of what we suspected was coming, the conversation as to whether or not the wolves would really stand with us had become a major priority. Certainly Jacob's pack would, and I assumed Sam's as well…but his was more questionable. The newer changed wolves didn't have an allegiance bred from our previous encounters with the malevolence that was coming.

In addition, I'd heard the worry in many of the newly aligned vampires at the thought of standing with my family bereft of their fierce presence; the legacy of Jacob's tribe had become legendary among our kind thanks to the rumors disseminated by the witnesses the Volturi had amassed the year previous. The witnesses had apparently been both frightened and grudgingly wary, giving the Quileute considerable respect due to their huge sizes and rumored ferocity. But as much as our current allies worried about being without them, they were as troubled about fighting beside them, uncertain as to whether they would truly be friend or unexpectedly foe.

As a result of my declaration, Renesmee grinned softly at me as she worked her way through the group, using her unique charms on everyone. I knew she wanted to go with us to spend time with her enlightened grandparents, but she'd already realized that Jacob wanted some time with me, so she wasn't going to ask. I was surprised that she hadn't request to accompany Seth when he left earlier to go check on his sister and mother. Instead, she was doing what she was best at…setting everyone at ease with her thoughts. As immortal after immortal fell victim to her, I saw Jasper visibly relax. Having the tumultuous feelings of those around us was as emotionally taxing for him as it was mentally for me. It was the loud auditorium for both of us - hard to block out the thoughts and emotions without great effort.

Kissing Bella's forehead, Jacob began walking toward the forest line, intent on phasing away from the others. He liked the clothes he was wearing and was already planning to tuck them in the hollow or crook of a tree for safekeeping. I waited until I walked into the shade of the tree to speak, not so much that it gave us privacy, but the semblance of it.

"Jacob, I'll carry them, otherwise they may get wet," I offered. The day was waning again, the moments I'd spent with Bella in our meadow seemingly so far in the past, when in reality, it had been just scant hours ago. But as the day had been eclipsed by the twilight again, I could smell the rain. It was coming, just as Aro was. "They'll stink of course," I added in a teasing fashion.

I heard his wolfish snicker as much as his amused thoughts and grabbed the clothes anyway. Turning toward La Push, he walked at a slow pace, clearly not in a hurry to meet up with the other pack. His mind churned through a myriad of thoughts…the battle coming…Nessie – his fear for her paramount…his protective instincts for Bella…and me.

He struggled to form the words, so I assured him. "Jacob," I murmured softly, stopping so that he turned his massive head toward me. "I am fine."

He imagined the wild sunken-eyed creature I'd been when they'd rescued me…when he'd smashed Esme's table to little pieces and threatened to tear Aro to unrecognizable bits himself. Then, successive pictures of me ran through his mind, including the moment he thought he was going to lose it all…when I'd lunged for Nessie as she ran to me.

His tone wasn't really questioning, but more of concern…about my state of mind.

"Yes…it has been a little difficult controlling my…" Just exactly how did I define it? "…aggression. The feral and primal monster part of me. But I understand myself a little better, so I hope to use what I've learned when we need it. I plan to win, Jacob." He huffed in agreement…we both did, no matter what it took. But back to his concerns. "And Nessie was never in danger from me…_ever_." I looked up at the sky through the thick branches above and tried to put it to words. Even the wild part of me, the part I'd called my monster, had intrinsically understood her importance.

Jacob's thoughts followed the direction of my comment about winning…and his idea of what it would take, which was all out aggression. He remembered my face when he'd kissed Bella the first time…when she'd given herself a hairline fracture in her knuckle punching him. I'd been all fury…fury directed at him, and he was thinking I had the right of it then. A bark of laughter tore out of my chest at his memory. Things had definitely changed. But instead of war, his thoughts brought something else to my mind.

"I imagine one day I'm going to be glaring at you like that over Nessie." His large eyes rounded out even bigger when he reasoned out my inference and scrambled to absorb it. Jacob hadn't crossed the line in his thoughts about my daughter, and the realization that one day he would - and all the implications therein - shook him more than me.

_Edward…I…_

"Shut up," I warned, knowing we both weren't ready to go there.

He growled and I hissed…and then I broke out in laughter at how funny we would've looked to anyone else. The one sided conversation between the crazy, mind-reading vampire/future father-in-law to shaggy, sharp-toothed beast/future son-in-law. Deep barks that equated to wolf humor filled the air around us. He was thinking the exact same thing.

"It will be here soon enough. Let me grow to like you even more so that hopefully I won't kill you the first time I hear something that will drive me batty."

_Batty…_ He almost sat down to laugh at that one.

"Shut up," I growled out, rolling my eyes at his humor.

He pawed at the ground in an attempt not to laugh, but when the hilarity finally died down, his thoughts turned serious again.

_Edward, speaking of Nessie…last time Bella wanted me to run with her…_

I pinched my nose, feeling the flush of my aggression…what I would have labeled my monster before…well up within me. When my voice came out it was harsh and demonic…assured in its right to be. "You grab her and Bella - if you can - and you run, Jacob. Run as fast and as far as you can. I will make sure you have enough paperwork and access to our money in order to survive. Bella can protect you all from Demetri if we can't win him over to our side. I'll make sure that I do everything within my power to fight a rearguard action for you three." _Even giving my life so that theirs would be protected_, I added silently.

_I'm not leaving, Edward. Not this time. Nessie has already said she won't leave the family. I don't think she really understood last time, but this time she is determined._

And that was that. Even my word wouldn't, couldn't break the bond of the imprint. Nessie's priorities were Jacob's. It was safe to say that I didn't like that. It actually infuriated me, but I breathed deeply to master the anger that I wanted to roar out with. It was something to be discussed again, but I needed to fashion a good argument.

"Where are we meeting Sam?" I asked him, diverting my train of thoughts onto something marginally more pleasant, knowing that he'd sent the message with Seth to the Quileute leader in my and Carlisle's absence…before the talks had turned serious - which let me know that Jake and Seth had been thinking much along the same lines as us.

_At the treaty line. He is giving you permission to go onto the reservation again, but he thought it might be good for us to escort you…just to make it clear to everyone. _ He meant the rest of Sam's pack as well as the other human Quileute who knew our secrets.

He stopped walking again, causing me to face him.

_Are you going to be okay? With the elders there?_

The thought of smelling human blood made my throat burn, but no more than it had for the decades I'd existed before Bella. It would seem that my life-changing moment had helped with the thirst as well.

"I will be okay, especially if you stay near me. Your stench…it is still quite effective." I was teasing…somewhat. His harsh animal-edged scent still burned my nose as I knew mine did his, but now it was diluted with the smell of my family and daughter. It would still be an effective deterrent though. Surrounded by the other wolves, I knew that the elders would be safe.

Jacob snickered, mentally reminding me of just how bad I smelled to him, as well.

"We'll call it a stalemate," I proposed, imagining how long we could go on with the argument of who smelled worse.

_Edward…I was really worried about you. _His thoughts were jumping back and forth between now and when I'd been taken._ I might have at one time wanted you dead…well…um…not dead, because you are kinda already that…um…maybe destroyed?_ He worried with the wording, and I waved my hand to continue knowing we could argue the discussion of my "existence" all day as well. His thoughts held just the briefest hint of humor before turning serious again. _But, you know, not now…and the thought that those Italian killers had you. _ His anger flared and he grappled to control it, but wasn't successful. He remembered his and Alice's conversation. _She and I thought that the family might not get to Volterra in time._ He admitted._ I was preparing for the worse. I didn't know if Bella would go all suicidal immediately, or just bide her time for when Nessie was grown. _

I had to acknowledge that Jacob had a fairly good understanding of vampiric mating; it was much like his own imprinting bond. Just then, he slowed down, as we were getting closer to the reservation boundaries.

_That was bad enough, but it was then I realized just how much I've grown to like you. Your existence…it means something to me now. _His words made me stop. They were fairly eloquent for him and considering our past almost miraculous. The memory of when that had all changed became prevalent in his mind.

_You called me son…_

He meant when we'd faced the Volturi last on the field of battle…when I'd known and acknowledged my acceptance of the fact that he would be Renesmee's mate and what that would mean for us if we'd survived. I was also imparting my approval of Bella's plan to get the pair far away from us to safety and the acknowledging that the youth I'd hated had become a man that I would trust with one of the two most precious things in my life.

"I meant it, Jacob." Walking slowly up to him, assessing my reactions as I tested our limits, I laid my hand on his shoulder as I had then. My instincts jumped at the proximity and the aggressive vampire in me wanted to lash out, but the husband, father, and human side of me won as his heat seared my hand.

He'd tensed as well, and I heard him working through his reactions…trusting me. His action spoke volumes. This was as close to a heart to heart as we'd ever had. The time in the tent high up in the mountain the night before Victoria's raid being the only time we'd attempted.

"I trust you to do what is right by Renesmee. I can't but hope that if the tide turns against us in this battle, that you'll run with her." I sank my fingers into his thick fur, causing him to turn fully and look at me. Razor sharp teeth, capable of tearing my kind apart, were but inches from my neck, but I didn't feel fear. "I'm begging that you also grab Bella and get her as far away from me as possible."

He scoffed mentally and then physically with a huff. _As if that is going to happen. Been there…tried that…earned the t-shirt and probably ripped it to pieces at some point along the way._

I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped at his sarcasm. "I'm just making my desires known." I wanted to somehow convey my sincerity, to convince him to listen to me, but before I could go any further, I heard Sam's thoughts and turned in the direction he was approaching.

_Sam?_ Jacob asked, unable to hear him in human form.

"Yes." I had just a few more moments of privacy, so I turned to him quickly. "Jacob, all I ask is that you consider my request. And, just in case I never get another opportunity to say this, I want you to know that I am proud to also be called your friend."

As he heard the sound of them approaching, I saw his brown eyes grow somber. _The same, Edward._

I remembered the words we'd exchanged in that tent so long ago, and I couldn't help bringing them up, to show just how far we'd come. "If you weren't trying to steal away the reason for my existence, I might actually like you…"

He quickly realized I was teasing and seized the opportunity to reply in kind.

_No, not even then. _He snorted, the puff of warm air misting in the cooling air.

I bumped his shoulder with mine in camaraderie. Jacob and I had both been changed by the storm of life, aka Bella Swan Cullen, and now we were counting on one another to protect those things most important in our lives, namely said storm and her whirlwind daughter. But Sam's arrival stopped any further conversation. He, Jared, and Paul had chosen to come as humans. It was a well designed tactic to have the other wolves see the trio's level of trust in me and my family.

"Edward," Sam nodded, before looking to Jacob with a solemn look.

The division of the wolves weighed heavily on Sam, but it was an irreversible fracture caused by his own desire to annihilate Nessie. In time, he'd come to own up to his responsibility for his miscalculations, which is why he'd rallied the wolves to our defense. Well…that and the protection of his tribe. Hearing Jacob's thoughts, I held his clothes out as he shifted behind me. Not too many months ago, I wouldn't have been able to remain calm with my back to him while he was in wolf form. Now, it only made the hairs on my arms stand up in instinctual defense.

"The others are meeting us back at the reservation," Sam said quietly, waiting for me to walk in front of them.

Again, this was all part of the show for the other wolves…and I willingly submitted to their maneuverings for the benefit of myself and those around me. I nodded my head in acknowledgement and strode past Sam, with Jacob quickly following. As we walked toward the reservation, Jacob at my side, I heard Sam's contemplation and Paul's simmering antagonism.

Paul's thoughts were more aggressive, more aligned to the things of warfare. Should they trust us? Could they stand being around the vampires that they knew, from their watches, were traveling to areas far afield from outside Forks to satiate themselves on humans? Whose side would we take if something occurred between the packs and our bloodsucker friends?

Sam's thoughts centered more on our alliance. He too was thinking of the group of immortals gathered at our house. As the immortals questioned he and the Quileute, he wondered, that even though they were associated with my family in varying degrees of necessity and convenience, if not friendship, if they stand firm in the face of the Volturi? His loyalty was clear. Jacob's imprint was one of us, and therefore they would stand with my family, either way.

These were just snippets of the things racing through their minds, and I knew that they were but representations of what the others must be thinking. The mental cacophony only increased when we drew near to the reservation and the others' thoughts began jumbling together.

I had to focus to control the feral instincts of the monster rising in me at being amidst so many that should be considered enemies. Friends…my mind screamed as I walked into the circle of the wolves and their elders; a solitary "_Cold One_" surrounded by fifteen men and one woman that could destroy me in a blink of an eye. Billy, Old Quil, and Sue Clearwater rounded out the group, sitting in positions that clearly denoted their importance in front of a fire pit roaring with flames.

Believing that there needed to be some formality to it all, I moved forward slowly to hold out my hand to Billy and then Old Quil. Uncertain what to do toward Sue, I nodded in respect.

"You came alone?" Billy asked, his tone neutral, but he couldn't control his thoughts. He was surprised, having assumed that my father would come with me.

"Yes. I came as our representative."

He pondered my words, while the realization that I had greatly improved even since the last time he'd seen me washed over him. Billy had come to admire my father during the time that Carlisle cared for Jacob after the fight with the newborns. He accepted that if my father had allowed me to come alone, that I had been deemed capable of carrying on the family business. With that, Billy looked to Jacob at my side. "My son indicates that your family wanted to speak about what is to come."

I nodded in return. "Aro will be coming to destroy us this time, and he won't stop with my family."

Bella had once shared with me her disquiet at what our existence had done to the Quileute…that our presence in Forks had forced so many kids to transform into immortal beasts. She'd talked at length about her sorrow that some of the younger ones like Collin had been little more than children when they were forced by the Volturi's arrival into an existence that they'd been blithely unaware of, except for perhaps in legends. And it would seem that once again we were forcing them into a possible suicide mission. The pull of guilt was immense, and had I been the Edward of before, it would have almost undone me.

Billy's wise, dark brown eyes remained steady on me. He had a degree of understanding of what I was feeling. That I was feeling that way was enough for him…he knew I didn't take the duty I'd been given lightly. His words confirmed his appreciation of my serious contemplation of the situation we were in. "We are prepared to fight with you again, Edward. Renesmee will be my daughter-in-law in due time, and as much as our history would say otherwise, that fact extends the protection of our tribe to your family."

Was it really that simple? Was the imprinting phenomenon truly enough to span the centuries of distrust and hatred between our two species? Hearing his thoughts, I realized that it was apparently so. I was floored by the reality, having come marshaled with a multitude of arguments and proposals, a myriad of pleas and promises.

Certainly some of the wolves', Paul's and Jared's, thoughts weren't as kind. It wasn't so much that they didn't want to help us, but that they would have to act in concert in company of other vampires that weren't connected to us. They distrusted the traditional vampires, who unashamedly embraced their thirst for human blood, even more than my family. Even Collin, Brady, and a few of the younger members had more reservations this time in comparison to when they'd stood by us on New Year's Eve; their previous involvement tainted by the high of being a newly transforming wolf; their current involvement tempered by maturity and commitments. But as Jacob had once joked, the group's thoughts were focused on the possibility that they would get to kill some vampires this time around. It was enough to make their distaste of aligning with some palatable.

Billy watched me as I took in the thoughts around me, knowing that I was doing so. _Your gift is something of incredible power, Edward. It is no wonder your father sent you. _Verbally, he prompted, "But I sense that you had other concerns to discuss with us?"

I nodded in respect, acknowledging his wisdom. "We need to train, as we did when Victoria brought the newborns against us. Her army, although physically strong, lacked the finesse and potency of what is to come."

"_Together_?" Paul spat out in disgusted surprise, lunging up only to be held back by Sam. The smack of Sam's restraining arm against Paul's straining chest was like the ricocheting sound of a bullet.

"Yes…"I looked at him for only a moment before meeting Sam's eyes "…in order for you to know our scents as we did when Victoria threatened and so that we can plan for their tactics. These aren't newborns…they won't make the mistakes we capitalized on that time. If we don't work together, we'll be slaughtered."

I stepped closer to Billy, and I saw several among the group tense. They'd seen my behaviors through the collective conscience – my out of control actions early in my return to my family representing so much of what they expected of "bloodsuckers." Interestingly, only Jacob's pack…Leah, Seth, Quil, and Embry felt a degree of humor at my bravado. Of course, they had a window into my recovery process through their pack-mind's sharing of Jacob's and Seth's observations of my progress.

I ignored the subtle growls issuing from several of the young men, stopping before Billy, Sue, and Old Quil. "We can win. We _will_ win," I stated emphatically. "But, it isn't enough for me that we come out victorious. I'm here because your participation will guarantee more than merely winning…it will ensure everyone's survival. Our family's survival. Your tribe's survival. I can't afford for any of you to get bitten…it would be intolerable for me." I stopped wanting to say it right. "I owe you everything. My wife, daughter, and family...I am well aware of the fact that our existence is a direct result of your decision to stand with us the last time the Volturi journeyed here. We can work together to lessen the possibility that anyone would be injured."

I paused to look directly at Billy again, having scanned the other leaders as I presented the first concerns. "We have an inroad on some ways to sow division in them before the fight even starts. I believe we can maximize those possibilities to cause significant chaos. Such disorder, and a few of our ideas of how to combine our gifts, will give us an advantage to tip the battle toward us."

"Exactly what is your plan, Edward?" Billy asked, his thoughts along the lines of seeing if I was going to be forthcoming with information.

"There are several within the Volturi that - if released from the hold of the gifted ones - will either leave the fight or align with us." I shared the names of the ones we had selected, but they meant nothing to the elders and only a little more to the wolves that had stood with us. "We have visual representations of them at the house and would share these with you, to familiarize yourselves with their faces. The others…my family's allies…they are as leery about working with you as you are with us. If we were to train together, at the least even minimally, we could harness our collective powers to determine weaknesses and strengths."

I turned then to look around the gathering, taking the time to meet each pair of dark eyes…some hostile…others accepting.

"Aro knows that we've only come together in the past at the last possible moment. He knows that our ties are there, but he also knows the weaknesses…that we've allowed our prejudice to keep us from truly being a cohesive unit. He knows this because he stole my memories while he had me imprisoned." My admittance made several grumble. They knew that I hadn't willingly allowed Aro to plumb the depths of my mind, but there was still a degree of anger that so much of their existence and allegiances had been revealed. "He will be counting on our relationships to be the same. He'll come with some plan to place worry into it. I ask that we work to circumvent whatever plan he does have. I ask that we work truly together to defeat this enemy to both you and us."

"Are you going to take responsibility afterward…for your kind?" Paul said softly, overstepping his position. But it was a question the elders had as well, so they allowed the break in decorum.

I turned back to the three leaders, Sam to their side. "We will." Putting my hands in the pockets of my jeans, I shrugged. "The vampire world won't come around to my family's way of living. It is a difficult choice to make and not one that many would attempt. However, I will promise you with every ounce of my being that if we win, the Quileute tribe won't be bothered again. We'll fashion a treaty amongst our kind, and have them stay far away from this region."

I chuckled then, remembering some of what Alice had shown me in her visions. "My sister, Alice, has shown me that my grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so forth…" Jacob gasped at my words "…will be a part of your legacy. I will do everything within my power to make sure that they are allowed as much a human life as possible, including protection from my kind and what that would mean to them."

Billy raised his eyebrow at me, thinking that I'd just played my cards excellently…reminding the group of just how much family we would be in the future…if we had a future.

"Though no one knows what this brave new world will mean to us with hybrids and wolves mixing, but certainly it seems apparent today that nothing will ever be the same." I couldn't help but chuckle before drawing another breath. "And I, for one, believe that what will arise will be a better existence. But we need to really learn to trust one another first. Unfortunately, we have little time."

Billy nodded, looking to the two other elders and the Sam. I heard their acceptance and tried hard not to let the savage satisfaction cloud my face before the words were spoken.

"Okay, Edward, where do you propose this exercise in 'good will' occur?" Sam asked, taking the lead now.

"Not the field where we met the Volturi last and will meet again. Bella will protect our thoughts from Aro, so I don't want the smell of our practices to linger and give away our collaboration."

"We captured your scents at another place farther into the forest," Jared proposed, seeing in his mind the clearing where my family had played baseball…the place where James, Victoria, and Laurent had come upon us with Bella.

"Yes…that will work," I said of his idea.

"When?" Sam asked.

"First thing in the morning. Alice sees them coming soon."

"Fine," Paul announced, ready to return to his home and get some sleep before the appointed meeting time, before turning on his heel to leave, with a curt nod at Sam. Many of the others followed his lead, their bodies disappearing into the night, destined for some rest before meeting up with their "mortal enemies."

Billy watched me as his young tribe members disappeared. Only when it was the elders, myself, Jacob, Leah, and Seth left did he speak. "Edward, I will trust that you know what you are doing." He motioned me forward, and I held out my hand to him. Taking my hand in his, he held onto me…the heat of him burning me as I was certain my coldness was him. "You have perhaps suffered more than most could conceive for the choices you have made over the past years. Wisdom comes not from having studied legends, but having taken what you've learned and putting it into practice. Be wise…listen to what your gift, your God-given gift…" he emphasized "…tells you, then use everything within your abilities to accomplish what you've been led to do."

With those prophetic words of wisdom, I left Jacob with them, streaking across the land, stopping only once to slake my diminishing thirst. When I grew close to the house, I heard Alice's thoughts. Walking slowly up the stairs, I moved to Bella grabbing her hand before I confirmed what I knew.

"Three days, Alice?"

She nodded solemnly, sharing the picture of Aro and Volturi converging on the field where we'd met before.

Not enough time…not enough time…

I looked to Carlisle, while pulling Bella under my shoulder, and then glanced over to where Renesmee, funnily enough, slept leaning up against Tanya's shoulder.

Nodding my head in acceptance, I took a deep breath before acknowledging her vision. "Very well, and so it begins…"

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts. I hope you won't mind several chapters of a "show-down." As many vamp stories as I've written with a fight, I've never been able to do them justice in just one chapter. Smile.<strong>

**A million thanks to ColdOnePaul. I say this every week, but I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. Without your guidance, this story would not be half as good. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! Your input, rewording, and care are what makes it what it is!**

**To crmcneill, thanks for letting me have a hand in the story you envisioned so long ago**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. **

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><p>The morning sunshine filtered through the trees surrounding our cottage, reflecting off the droplets of rain still clinging to the panes of glass and causing prisms of color to fill the room. Outside, the rose bushes that Esme had planted in our small garden bloomed in a riot of colors, having spilled a smattering of petals to the ground from the night-time rain that had cleansed the air and forest.<p>

_Would the rain be washing away our ashes this day?_, I wondered. It was an intriguing and yet morbid question. One that was designed to bring about a multitude of reactions, but I was inexplicably calm.

Bella stirred next to me on our bed, bringing my focus back onto her and our child. I would have spent the night making love to her, a night of celebration of life and passion, except for the fact that I couldn't let Nessie out of my sight. So instead of taking advantage of my wife, I'd spent the night listening to my daughter's dreams and holding the hand of my love across our child's body. It was as fine a way as any to spend possibly our last night on earth.

For today we would face Aro and Volturi.

We'd trained relentlessly over the past two days, pushing the wolves, and many of our immortal friends, to their limits. For the vampires, it wasn't the pressure of the physical exhaustion, but the drain of the forced proximity to beings that were previously abhorrent to them. For the wolves, it was the same, but the limitations of their physical bodies had to be also taken into account. So their fatigue provided the natural breaks as they took time to eat the quantities of food needed to replenish their energy stores.

The first day went exceptionally well, all things considered. But Paul had been the wolf to finally snap, literally. His impatience, fueled by his growing fatigue - and natural antagonism toward our kind - at having to go through different fighting and take-down tactics that Jasper demanded of the group came to a head and he'd lunged at Emmett, attempting to sink his razor-sharp incisors into my brother. Thankfully, it was Emmett; otherwise, the Volturi would have arrived to face a decimated group and an easy win. Jasper had immediately focused a blast of lethargy onto Paul, allowing Emmett to turn the wolf aside. Another vampire, one without my brother's good-nature, would have started an interspecies war. Immediately stepping in, Sam had redirected Paul, but I'd heard even the Alpha's fatigue. Sam pushed, but even with the Alpha's control, we had to stop the practicing not long afterward. The wolves faded into the woods immediately at his command, destined for their homes and sleep.

So, the first day of fashioning a new existence between us had ended, if not peacefully, at least productively.

The second day found both groups back on the field at dawn, more focused. Having survived the initial reactions to and the warring incongruity of working together, determination took root. I'd heard it in their thoughts…the resolve to win. Even Paul had focused on Jasper's words, allowing Seth to flank him and taking on Emmett in a different manner, finally bringing my large brother to the ground, Seth's teeth at his throat, Paul's holding onto one of Emmett's ankles. While the two wolves restrained Emmett, Jasper had stood over the three pointing out the effective points of the take-down and the flaws in their technique and tactics they'd that they'd utilized. Emmett's only complaint of the evening had been that Rosalie wouldn't stand with him because of the smell of the wolves' "slobber." He'd been forced to shower for a lengthy period with scented soap before Rosalie would touch him.

But as the wolves had begun to make their way into the woods on the second evening, Carlisle called out for them to stop.

Moving into the circle of monstrous beasts, he took the time to place his hand on each one of them as a sign of camaraderie, personally thanking them for coming to the defense of our family. The mere fact that they allowed him to do so, particularly Leah, was a true indicator of how much my father had impressed them. Certainly, his treatment of Jacob years ago had convinced the older, less volatile elders of my father's compassion, but it was his clear determination to emerge from the upcoming battle, his quick but concise directions on how we would remain focused in the face of the taunts that we expected from Aro and the Volturi, and his expectations of loyalty that had won this more capricious group over. When he'd come to stand before Sam, he'd bowed his head in respect. It had been an acknowledgement of the Alpha and his power.

"Tomorrow, if you should decide that it is too much, we will understand."

Sam had ground his left forepaw into the ground, his thoughts clear. _"We will stand united,"_ I'd voiced for him. The words were humbling. My debt to them was so immense that I would spend an eternity repaying the Quileute people.

"Our thanks," my father had replied solemnly, turning to the side so that the wolves swept past him as a unit on their way toward the security of the forest, as the black wolf barked briefly the retreat.

It had been an eerie sight…the pack moving gracefully, grouped in pods of three or four, my father surrounded and defenseless at their numbers. His eyes had said it all, though…he was at peace among them, bonded to each and every one of them through the trials of the last few years. The steady cadence of their paws against the deep loam of the forest had been strangely settling, diminishing as the pack moved away toward their lands.

My father moved toward us when they finally disappeared and at Jasper's step forward had declared, "I'm done for the night, Jasper. I'm claiming the evening for rest."

He didn't truly have rest on his mind, but the activities he had in store for Esme would definitely restore him. With those words, the other immortals had fled in different directions away from the Cullen house as quickly as the wolves. Unlike most of the others, who'd grabbed mates or lovers or one-night stands for the night, Bella and I had taken with us a child and her protector. We'd made a trip to La Push to see Bella's parents…refusing to call it our goodbyes. Jacob had been mentally, physically, and emotionally incapable of spending the night away from his imprint. So as I held Bella's hand and cradled Nessie, it was to the rhythm of deeper breaths, a stronger wet heart, and a stench so uniquely identifiable as Jacob's that it was almost welcoming. I'd put up with his smell so long that it had become a part of our milieu.

As we observed the silver moon move silently across the night sky, Bella was pensive.

"Edward, if today…"

"Sh…" I stopped Bella from talking…reaching over with our combined fingers to place them on her lips. "I will love you forever. Nothing that could happen today would ever change that," I said with fervor.

Smiling at the ferocity of my words, she leaned up to rest on her elbow, looking down to our child. "She is so stubborn…"

"I assume you are speaking about her unwillingness to leave and run away with Jacob," I guessed, attempting to keep from grinning at the cross expression on her face. Her huff was answer enough. It was as good enough time as any to admit to my perfidy. "I attempted to convince Jacob to grab the two of you and run with you both."

She gasped as I suspected she would and then a low rumbling started in her chest. I put my finger to her lips to stop her from speaking, hoping to get my reason out before she tore into me.

"Before you tear my head off, please listen. First, I apologize for doing so. I was wrong; however, I won't lie and not say that my initial focus is on you and Nessie. To think of someone hurting you – and her - drives me insane."

"I won't leave you!" she snarled, causing Nessie to abruptly move in her sleep, her body unconsciously feeling the ferocity of Bella's words.

I leaned up on my elbow as well, so that she we faced one another. "I know. As I said, I was wrong. Please forgive me?"

The feral part of me prepared, waiting for her to tear into me, as would be appropriate. However, her black eyes began to mellow and fade, slowly resuming their golden hue. Her words astounded me. "You are making progress, Edward. I'm proud of you." At my arched brow, she continued. "You were able to admit to your desire to protect me at all costs and to your over protectiveness. Who set you straight?" she asked with a grin on her face.

At that precise moment, Jacob snores grew louder, and my lips quirked.

Catching my unspoken answer, she shook her head softly at the wolf. "He comes in handy at times."

"More times than I want him to realize," I said softly. "Love, I am sorry. But it is almost instinctual for me to be overprotective, and I'm still struggling to control it."

"You've been that way long before Aro made the mistake of taking you," she challenged me, quirking her lips. "So you can't use your kidnapping as an explanation for that. Why tell me now?"

"Honesty…something I didn't give you the last time. This thing that has happened within me, I'm still sorting it out, so I'm going to screw up again. The best I can propose is to make a promise that I will admit when I do."

She balanced over Nessie to softly kiss my lips. "I'll take that, considering you are making me the promise, and it seems to entail your belief that we will survive this day." She kissed me again for good measure, making it long and emotion laden. "I love you, Edward Cullen."

"As I love you, Isabella Marie Swan Cullen."

~DS~

The walk to the main house was deceptively calm, but that didn't count the emotions and thoughts swirling around inside me.

Nessie, Bella, and Jake walked before me, and I watched as Jacob teased Nessie about her braid being crooked. He did this because it was as much a smack at me as her; I'd done her hair. When she grumped back, he broke out in full-bodied laughter, his brown eyes growing warm with his merriment, his white teeth flashing against his tan skin. Bella had called him her "sun," and I saw in that moment where she'd gotten that comparison. Jacob Black was an exceedingly handsome man, made more so by the spirit of true friendship and affection that filled him. He bumped Bella with his hip in a teasing manner and received a half-hearted shove back; my wife rolling her eyes at his behavior.

It hit me then, just how easily they could have fit together, how much Bella had meant to him before our child and his imprinting. Perhaps, the higher power that had us all under control had used Jacob's feelings for Bella as a way to keep him near us…long enough for him to be rewarded in an infinitely more precious way. Jacob's love for my child rivaled mine for her mother. For now, his was platonic, whereas my love for Bella was far from that, but the intensity was the same. God help me the day his feelings changed, as I sensed that I would turn back into the monster again, acting solely on instincts.

But it made me wonder, as we continued along our journey, as to Jacob's and Nessie's future. Certainly they would marry, but would they seriously pursue children? Alice's visions seemed to indicate so. I refused to dwell on these thoughts, however, cringing inwardly at that hopefully distant future. Returning my focus to Jacob, I thought he was worthy of Nessie, as I observed him smiling again at something my daughter said. A warm hearted, generous, and loyal man. Jacob had transformed, and I wasn't just referring to the change from human to supernatural beast. He'd matured from a meddling boy into a man that I was proud to call a friend and would call son. It made me ponder just what fate really had in store for us. That brave new world that I'd mentioned to the Quileute elders.

The irony that I was thinking along these lines didn't escape me. We would be facing Aro and his Guard today, and by sunset, my thoughts and concerns for the future could mean nothing. We'd all be piles of ashes then. The surreal sense of serenity washed over me again, cleansing the fear.

As if in acknowledgement of my thoughts, a stray beam of sun filtered down through the leafy canopy of the forest onto Bella, and she turned at that precise moment to look back for me. I was certain she was worried about my quietness, but as the sun transformed her into brilliant sparkles, her smile did me. For so long, I'd gone without a mate or even the hope for one, then a brown eyed angel had come into my life and changed everything. To me, Bella was the most beautiful woman in the world, but her looks weren't what I thought of when I measured the person she was. It was her steadfastness, her ability to forgive, her protectiveness, and her affection that had continued to ensnare my heart with gossamer strings. I was nothing without her. She was my anchor, my rock, in this life, and it had been my perception of that foundation eroding that had helped to create my psychotic break months ago in that dark cell under the Volturi castle.

When I'd walked into Forks high to be faced with my _La Tua Cantante_, little had I known what I was being given. Certainly I'd wanted to drain her dry at the first whiff of that delicious, overwhelmingly sweet blood she had within her, and had turned that monstrous call aside through sheer will and distraction, but that urge carried a whole other connotation now. I wanted to devour her over and over again, to place my teeth to her neck and hold her submissive as I took pleasure from her and gave it back tenfold. I wanted to make love to her for months at a time without emerging, to make her forget anything but what I could make her feel. I wanted to hunt with her and take her on the ground while the feeding frenzy still surged through my body. But just as importantly, I wanted to hold her for hours and brush the hair from her face, to listen to her read to me as I lay in her lap and watched the muscles in her face form a multitude of emotions, to hold her hand on long walks as the beast in me and the gentleman in me enjoyed it in equal fold.

She was my everything… my other half, my absolute completion. Together we were one.

As if she sensed my appraisal, Bella moved back to my side, taking my hand in hers. "You're being awfully quiet," she said.

Smirking down at her, I leaned down quickly to place a kiss to her forehead. "Just contemplating life."

"Overthinking," Jacob threw out from in front of us, laughing infectiously at my growl.

My reaction caused both Bella and Nessie to join him, the sounds of their laughter combining to form, with the raindrops that fell from the overhanging leaves, a beautiful symphony that filled the air around us. Grinning at their irreverence, I adopted that old mantra "if you can beat them, join them," and my mirth united with theirs. It was good to have this normalcy at this all-too-brief moment, I reasoned as we continued on to the main house together, for soon, all hell was going to break loose.

~DS~

Jasper paced in front of the group, his movement precise as he walked to one end of the line and pivoted to return to the other. His arms were crossed behind his back as he moved. There would be no acceptance of surrender today; the deadly intent was clear in Jasper's eyes. My brother had survived one war…two if you counted the Civil War he'd escaped through immortality…and today, he planned to add another victory to his dossier. Jasper moved his eyes over each of us, seeing that all of us had fed, light gold eyes mixed with bright ruby eyes; the ones that had to feed traditionally had fled beyond the borders of our "territory" after indulging in their primal lusts.

"Emmett, your target?" he asked, stopping before my large brother.

"Felix," he answered seriously, but then couldn't help himself. "Contain him until Bella can work her mojo. Don't hurt him unless it is clear that our plan has failed. Only then may I have fun." His words were clipped and an exact duplication of Jasper's words, right down to the slightly southern flair. Almost mocking.

Jasper tried to keep his lip still, but I saw the slight twitch at Emmett's impertinence. "Edward?" Jasper asked, his eyes moving to mine.

"Marcus. Although he will be Bella's first focus to incorporate in her shield. If she is successful, then I am to move on to Demetri." Honestly, Demetri was the one I wanted anyway, because I was still harboring hope that if we began to lose the battle, Jacob would run with Nessie. And if the tracker couldn't be won over, I wanted him dead. It was the only chance Jacob and Nessie would have at a successful escape.

"Carlisle?" Jasper stepped next to my father, who was at my side. I tried not to shudder at the dark satisfaction that crossed my father's face.

"Aro…"

It was a hope breathed with savage, almost fanatical, intent. Flashes of memories that had long been buried raced through my father's mind, and I tried not to reel under them. My father and Aro had been close during my father's time with them; I hadn't realized just how close, despite the Volturi leader's attempt to have him partake of human blood. Carlisle took Aro's abuse and callous discarding of that friendship to fit his avaricious purposes as the ultimate betrayal. He'd felt traces of this when Aro came the first time, but Carlisle had hoped that we would find a peaceful resolution. _"Is there no hope then?" _he asked as we faced this crisis before. Now, that question didn't even enter his mind.

It was a testament to just how focused my father was on his preference that Jasper had to nudge him to finishing outlining his assignment. "Carlisle!"

My father's eyes snapped back to Jasper, the cloudy look of internal delight fading, even as Jasper attempted not to bask in Carlisle's new-found ferocity. "If Marcus should choose to turn onto his brother-in-law, then I am to engage Caius." Carlisle clearly hoped that the fates would settle the score for him, placing Marcus' ire on the white-haired vampire.

"Excellent," Jasper indicated, narrowing his eyes subtly at Carlisle in reminder to stay true to the course. "I'll be targeting Chelsea, and Alice, Corin. We need their offensive talents eliminated immediately."

"Rosalie?"

"Heidi. Do the same as you've requested from Emmett. Engage and protect."

Jasper nodded his head in approval, moving next to Stefan and Vladimir, who stood next to my father. They were itching to come into the fray of the upcoming battle rather than stand back and let the rest of us do the "dirty work." And ironically, we were asking them to stay back and protect.

"Protect Isabella…so she can work her 'mojo'…" Stefan whispered in his feathery voice, the tone a perfect replica of Emmett's on the word mojo.

Vladimir, as I'd come to expect, tied into his companion's thoughts and words. "Renesmee…and Zafrina, so she can blind the witch twins."

He was thinking of Jane and Alec and our belief that if they couldn't see us, their gifts would be diminished. We were fairly certain that Zafrina would be able to render a large group defenseless, but her targets were the twins. If others around them were collateral damage, then all the better. The fewer soldiers to fight, the easier to eliminate the enemy.

The Amazonian woman smiled in savage glee at being assigned the duty of taking out two of the most feared Volturi. I grinned to see her memory of approaching Siobhan and her words. "Envision them running around blindly like defenseless children."

Defenseless children, indeed. I didn't think that anyone had ever thought of Alec and Jane in that manner. Given another situation, I could have respected the ageless child twins. They were determined, fully focused, and loyal…unfortunately, we were the target of that dedication. It was a dichotomy that I had to live with…respecting them, while at the same time desiring their destruction.

"Jacob?"

"Sam and I will follow Edward and Carlisle and kill whatever bloodsucker we can, other than the ones you've marked and granted a second chance." He said it with such satisfaction that everyone around chuckled. At the edge of the forest, just inside the yard, the majority of the pack frolicked, nipping at each other heels, high on the energy of the day.

"Seth?"

"Help Dracula 1 and Dracula 2 protect Bella, Nessie, and Zafrina." Seth smiled, then looked with a smirk toward the two ancients, who refused to rise to the bait aside from a slight narrowing of eyes. "Don't worry, we won't abandon our posts. Leah and I are counting on the Italian Scum…" he earned Dracula 1's and Dracula 2's respect with those words "…making a direct and immediate assault on Bella. Whether or not you believe this, Leah and I are right where we want to be."

He was envisioning a horde of the Volturi targeting my bride and child, and unfortunately, I didn't think he was too far away from the truth. But I trusted Seth and Leah to do exactly what needed to be done.

Jasper then moved to the individual that I worried the most about. Simply because she'd refused to be left out of the targeting.

"Athenodora or Sulpicia," Esme said decisively. "Whoever attempts to interfere." She glanced to Carlisle, before walking over to place herself between Carlisle and Stefan. "My suspicion is that I will have the pleasure of dealing with Athenodora." She was entirely too pleased about the possibility.

Stefan reacted in a curious way to Esme's proximity. Memories of his wife poured over him, the scent and softness of her. His pain coalesced into blinding rage. My wife…between Seth, Leah, and the Romanians…she would be more protected than if I stood by her myself. It did give me the comfort that I needed to focus on the task at hand.

Next came Tanya. She didn't even wait on Jasper to ask. "Renata."

Jasper had questioned me when I proposed her target, but at my silent perusal, he'd capitulated. It was the perfect placement for her. I didn't know why…just that it was.

Next came Garrett and Kate. They would be engaging Santiago, keeping him occupied.

Jasper moved further down the line. "Eleazar, remember, we need you and Carmen at the front with Edward. It is important that you assess any fresh faces to determine if they're bringing a new talent to the mix. That could change everything."

It could, in combination with whatever multi-layered strategy Aro had dreamed up. For certainly I knew that Aro would have used his time efficiently. He was crazy, but diabolically crazy, and that was the worst mixture to be facing.

"Fred…" Jasper called the American vampire forward. "How are you feeling today?"

Grinning broadly, the handsome man replied, "Particularly repulsive."

Jasper's stoic façade cracked then. He and Fred had been practicing, intensely. Now, like Bella, Fred could throw his gift out to incorporate large sections of area. We were hoping that it would give us an advantage at first, in case the Volturi rushed forward. Nahuel and a group of our newer recruits including Pleayo, Ildaria, Hua, and Olufemi would stand behind him, destroying whatever vampires he nauseated once the fight began.

The rest of our allies, vampires and wolves alike, would be engaging the immortals that came their way. And through it all, Siobhan…our "Irish Lucky Charm" as Emmett had teased…she'd be imagining our success.

Having done all he could, Jasper moved aside for our leader.

As Jasper stepped beside Alice, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, Carlisle glided forward, turning to face our group. He was dressed in unrelenting black – eerily like the two Romanians - and the slight breeze that stirred the air ruffled his blond hair, setting it to disarray. Unbeknownst to him, I'd seen him as a human, through Aro's memories…stolen from the memories of Carlisle's creator…a vampire destroyed by Aro for the offense of making a "spectacle of himself." It was a memory I'd treasured before my sanity began to slip. The homespun wools of his youth hadn't suited him; the black Nomex material, fashioned into a body conforming armor suit, did. Where Carlisle's blue human eyes had sparkled with zest, his vampiric golden ones were fierce and determined. He had the presence of a Viking warrior, intent on conquering. Had he been given a sword to lean on, the picture would have been complete.

He glanced at each one of us before speaking. "Albert Einstein once wrote 'I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.' He inferred that humans would destroy civilization with the next great war. That all things wise and beautiful would fall prey to the instinct to destroy and pillage. Today, I'll go into this remembering what I hold precious. I ask that you do the same."

"I'm not the strategist or warrior that my son is, having lived my life in peace for over three centuries as I felt led. Yet, facing the challenge we will today, I can say that there is no other that I would have chosen to prepare us." He glanced at Jasper with undisguised affection. My brother opened his mouth, but our father waved his hand curtly to dissuade Jasper from speaking. "Follow Jasper's directions and the tactics that he has drilled into you, and he'll bring you back to me."

~DS~

As a cohesive group we made our way to the field my family had used what seemed so long ago to play baseball. The image of a very fragile Bella, as she hid behind us protected from James, Victoria, and Laurent, overwhelmed me. So much had changed since that encounter. I'd been high on newly found love, believing that the most significant challenge I would face was living with a human Bella as she grew old and then joining her in death afterward. Little did I know… I looked around to see my daughter, immortal wife, family, and friends. I would've never imagine this, or the life and death challenge we were about to face.

As we traveled together to the field, the individuals quickly divided, mates with mates, seeking a last few minutes of communion before the enemy descended. While each and every person upon the field were now important to me, I couldn't help but focus on those dearest to me…my family.

Emmett and Rosalie ghosted to the northwest corner, and I watched for a few moments as they gazed into one another's eyes, their emotions clear. Rose and Emmett were definitely the most physically exuberant pairing in our family. Their exploits were notorious and the fervor at which they went about pursuing their passion had led to many destroyed houses. But not this day. This day, Emmett wrapped his arms around Rosalie, bringing her into his chest and cradling her. They'd gotten the exploits out of their system last night. Today…this moment…it was for feeling the connection.

Emmett caused Rosalie to sob when he mumbled, "I remember waking up to see your face. I thought you were an angel. Nothing in our time together has ever changed that opinion. Nothing."

Before, it had been hard for me to handle Rose's bitterness and Emmett's sexual openness. Now that I had a mate to celebrate life with, it was easier for me to see the joy in their relationship. Even with Rose's tart nature, their relationship had provided a certain entertainment in our lives. She and I were both at fault for the discord that had existed between us for decades. If we were granted a miracle this day, I suspected that the warming of our affections, that had been prevalent since I'd been rescued, beginning with her touch on my wasted arm as I defended her honor, would continue. In essence, I'd always loved her as family, but I suspected that I would grow to like her as well. Rose and I just might become friends.

Jasper and Alice…they'd moved not far away from us, but it was as if they were in a world to themselves. Her hand to Jasper's cheek, Alice gazed into his eyes with an expression so poignant that I almost felt as a trespasser observing them. Hearing the thoughts of those around us, I knew that I wasn't the only one.

Jasper and Alice had come to us, searching out a family that would help them find their "humanity"…a battle scared warrior and a pixie who knew nothing other than what she'd learned from the visions that haunted her. They were, as I had told Bella long ago, two very rare creatures that had found their consciences independently of us. It would be easy to say that we'd taught them the lifestyle of surviving the vampire world humanely, but the reality is that they'd taught us so much more. They had brought so much to us, as we had done the same with them. We were symbiotic. Her visions had guided us through decades of uncertainty, and he'd taught us the lesson of forbearance. The fact that neither of them were tied to us through venom, but that it hadn't mattered in the least, was the foundation of what had become our definition of family. That the wolves had been so quickly accepted as part of our "family" had a good deal to do with Jasper and Alice's examples and Carlisle's incredible gift of love and acceptance.

Carlisle and Esme. My parents. I'd had the gift of being with them for years before anyone else joined the family, even though I hadn't always considered it a pleasure. Carlisle was the individual, aside from my wife, that I respected the most. My biological father was but a faint memory, but I couldn't imagine that he would've provided better guidance than the man who stood holding his wife just feet from me. And Esme…she was as much my mother as the woman who had given me birth. I had more memories of my mom, Elizabeth; she'd been a warm and loving. Esme had filled her shoes perfectly.

The quiet joy and love that flowed between them was humbling in its constancy. It would lead anyone to believe that their love wasn't as passionate as the others in our family…and that would be a false belief. They were just more subtle and reserved about how they went about it. Esme was afraid at this moment, on the eve of this battle. She knew that Carlisle was going to place himself up front and as the focal point of the rage approaching us. She suspected that Aro would center on Carlisle and the challenge our leader had broadcast to our secret world. Flashes of their evening ran through her thoughts, and I saw that all the words that needed to be said between them, had already been. This moment, as she ran her hands over his chest as if to memorize him, was about letting him know that although she felt as if she was about to lose her mind in fear, she was supporting him fully and without hesitation.

Bella hummed against me in satisfaction when Carlisle finally claimed Esme's lips. "I hate Aro," she said softly. "Why does he feel the need to destroy this?" she asked, waving very gently at our family.

It was a rhetorical question. One we'd been over innumerable times. I'd come to the conclusion that Aro coveted us for our abilities, and sought our subjugation for defying him, but at a deeper level, he couldn't ascribe to a world where he wasn't the center of attention.

Lastly, I turned to my child. Jacob had kneeled before Renesmee, so that they could be on an equal level. She'd placed her hand to his face, and her thoughts poured steadily into him; she was remembering her human families back on La Push, as well as, us. Her love for all her family, including the individuals that had just come to our defense, was clear. Her heart knew no bounds.

This…this was why Aro was coming for us. Nessie and Jacob symbolized all that Aro was coming to destroy…acceptance, rejection of hatred and prejudice, and a new world ruled by love instead of by inflexible rules.

We were considered law breakers, and no doubt we'd honestly earned part of that reputation. But at no time had we placed our world at risk of discovery – which was in effect, the ultimate goal of Aro's governance. Yet, we would be judged harshly this day, all because we'd followed a path that challenged the percepts.

But the time for reflection and introspection was gone. Our time was up.

"They're here," I growled out, as the layers of Aro's and Caius' strategy began filtering into my mind as I sensed their swift approach.

If there was anything to be found in our favor, it was that they believed I was still disorganized and fractured. One of Carlisle's recordings had made it into their hands, and thankfully, I'd still appeared wild and out of control. But that was all that we had, I realized, as I recognized how diabolical Aro had become, how well prepared they were.

"Jacob! I need your clothes," I snarled out.

And even though my demand confused him, Jasper and Emmett helped me protect his modesty as, without questioning, he stripped, tossed me the stinking items, and then changed into wolf form. I threw on the jeans and shirt he'd worn and then dropped to the ground, rolling in the dirt and debris, while my family and friends blurred to form a line, Carlisle moving ahead to stand alone. They were dismayed and confused at my actions, but I didn't have time to explain, we needed every bit of subterfuge and advantage we could get.

It was enough that when a jubilant Aro and the line of dark-robed Volturi soldiers came through the forest line, it was to see me as they expected…filthy and cowering on the ground.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts. The betas already have the next two chapters and I'm working on the third. So hopefully it won't be as long a wait for the next one.<strong>

**My many thanks to Nikki, who signed on for the arduous task of pre-reading this for me. Her thoughts for clarifications, additions, and subtractions (smile) are brilliant. HA! My many thanks, madam!**

**And to Cold One Paul. He puts so much of himself into each of these chapters. I can't tell you how helpful it is to have a man's input…when you are writing a man's POV! ;)** **I say this every week, but I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. Without your guidance, this story would not be half as good. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! Your input, rewording, and care are what makes it what it is!**

**To crmcneill, thanks for letting me have a hand in the story you envisioned so long ago.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. **

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><p>"<em>Jacob! I need your clothes," I snarled out.<em>

_And even though my demand confused him, Jasper and Emmett helped me protect his vanity as without questioning, he stripped, threw me the stinking items, and then changed into wolf form. I threw on the oversized jeans and shirt he'd worn and then threw myself to the ground, rolling in the dirt and debris. My family and friends were dismayed and confused, but I didn't have time to explain._

_It was enough that when Aro and the line of robe covered Volturi came through the forest line, it was to see me as they expected…filthy and cowering on the ground._

_~DS~_

I could see the intensely focused look on my wife's face as she moved to me, placing her hand on my head as if to placate me. Although it pained me to do so, I flinched and growled at her as if her touch startled me. But the contact was enough, as she'd pushed her shield away to tell me, _"Whatever you are doing, I'll go along with it."_

"Jake, take care of Edward," she directed, sobbing slightly as if my reaction to her touch broke her heart.

Her strategy was perfect, bringing him closer to me in case I needed to inform him of anything. She drifted forward to just behind Carlisle, her attention focused on the group that had stopped just fifty yards from us. In vampire terms, it was a few seconds away. Aro had expected her to do exactly this, to step to the forefront, and I saw Demetri shift and his eyes come to rest on my wife. Even if I hadn't been able to hear his thoughts, his actions betrayed him. She was his target, which was perfect for me.

Although the others of our group were harboring varying levels of concern and interest in and about my scheme, their attention was focused fully on the horde in front of us, the scant few witnesses that came after them…and the rapidly beating hearts of the humans the Volturi had brought with them. My thought was first, almost idly, to how few witnesses there were compared to last year. My second was on the heartbeats that all of us heard.

His initial assault was twofold. Aro's first line of defense and offense. Attack humanity.

For the here and now, two small toddlers wiggled helplessly in Felix's arms. Aro had brought them to sacrifice…to throw out amongst us in an effort to create blood frenzy on our side, his group strategically fed and fully glutted, to raise the ire of the wolves and their belief in the sacredness of human life, and to hit Carlisle's hard…challenging his believe in the sanctity of life and his paternal feelings. They were but babies.

It was diabolical, this plan of Aro's…copper-haired, pale replicas of the child he'd thrown at me in the cell many months ago. He'd believed it would be a nice touch, a reminder that would perhaps unhinge my mind again; he was more than ecstatic that, to his perception, he'd found me in a state that didn't even necessitate it. I refused to allow that to happen, but had to act as if did.

Letting out a shrill whine, I pawed at the ground as if the smell of the two children drove me crazy. All the while, as I engaged in my theatrics, I glanced surreptitiously at the assembled horde and assessed those traditional vampires facing me. Certainly the aroma of the children was enticing, but the guard too had fed during the night. It had to be enough; Aro was playing a dangerous game.

The Volturi leader's thoughts and memories raced through him unchecked and uncensored. It was quite naïve of him to assume that I was still broken and unable to take advantage of what I heard. The image he had in his mind was of me when he last saw the monster within my body, naked in the dark underground cell, roaring like an animal possessed. The thought that perhaps this was actually a scheme gnawed at me, so I listened intently to him as I shuffled along the ground, Jacob just a foot from me. The Volturi leader was unwisely secure in his belief that his torture had broken my spirit and destroyed my psyche. I could understand his reasoning, considering how I'd been when my family found me, but still, Aro was a millennia old vampire and a ruler. He shouldn't have been so sure; he should have questioned, but his miscalculation, his relative complacency was to our advantage though. I was certain he hadn't made many errors of judgment, so we would have to use this moment as wisely as possible.

He smiled at my antics, thoroughly pleased that his torture had reduced me to such a pathetic creature. But I didn't want to overplay the card, because I'd been smiling in at least one of the pictures, holding Bella like she was the grandest of treats, so I crouched before rising to move toward my wife. It infuriated me to do so, but I slumped over, hunching my shoulders as if I wanted to disappear. When I reached her, I moved to grab her wrist as if to pull her away from them. She stood adamant, showing to those across the expanse dividing our camp from theirs that her strength was superior to mine. Clever girl - it was a perfect ruse, because I would slaughter those that unwittingly came against me. No ego attached, but the truth was that my mind reading capacity always gave me the advantage in these situations. Even Jasper couldn't defeat me, other than when Bella hid his thoughts.

At Aro's side, Caius sneered at me and the "_spectacle_" I was making, pulling at Bella ineffectively and snarling at her in frustration. He felt that I was of no major consideration, a weak piece of refuse that he thought would be kinder to dispose of; hence, he perversely wondered if he could convince Aro to bring me back as a pet. He had a multitude of thoughts about how he could continue experimenting on me. Marcus' mind remained dulled, almost as if Corin kept him at a level of extreme dysphoria on purpose. I wondered what we would find when Bella began to block the vampire's addictive emotional influence. Would the grief overwhelm him, or would the leader rise…particularly when he found the true merit of the company he'd been keeping? We were, of course, hoping for the later.

As if sensing my thoughts, Bella relayed_, Keep it up, Edward. I'm almost there with Marcus._

_Edward, we're fine, no new talent in the Guard,_ Eleazar sent my way at the same time, having used my distraction to assess the crowd that faced us. I twitched my eyes in his direction, catching his briefly in acknowledgement.

The lack of new gifts to augment Aro's strength was indeed good, because as Aro watched Jacob keep pace beside Bella and me, I caught his thoughts of what he'd planned for the Quileute, his second step of the first wave of assault and what I needed to focus on foremost. I growled fiercely, allowing my assumed persona to mask the real reason.

At this moment, as we postured, a lone vampire specially instructed by the Volturi leader, and armed with a vial of death, was headed toward the reservation. Perversely, and as a slap to me and my father, he'd chosen the Spanish Flu, an old variant of the H1N1 strain that had been feared worldwide just a few years ago, and which had devastated many humans, including my parents, during the early 1900s. He planned to infect the reservation with the illness, decimating the wolves' mates and children. It would be slow, but effective. It was his belief that the bioweapon would wipe out the entire tribe. The vampire was to return to the battleground as soon as the agent was set loose. In Aro's mind, to place their families in danger would be the way to insure their defection to us. This part of his plan was clever.

"_Aro, just let our emissary destroy them,"_ Caius had argued. _"With the mutants in battle with us, it would take but a few moments."_

Aro had just shook his head at Caius in displeasure. He was becoming more and more disenchanted with his co-leader's rash decisions, growing to despise that Caius didn't always fully contemplate all the ramifications of an incident. Just as Caius had assumed that the wolves were Children of the Moon the first time around, he had forgotten or ignored, in a bid to inflict damage against a species he found abhorrent, that the vampire world would still need to remain protected and hidden. A suddenly missing tribe of Native Americans or the discovery of a multitude of drained and mutilated bodies would illicit world-wide inspection and terror and would invite scrutiny on our secret world, contrary to the goals of vampiric law. On the other hand, a tribe wiped out by a disease was horrific, but plausible. Particularly because the vial the Volturi had obtained came from the CDC in Atlanta, where scientists were about to warn the government of a new strain…the strain contained in the seemingly innocuous little vial being carried quickly toward not only Jacob's family, but also ours.

"_We will torture them with the knowledge that the virus has been set loose amongst their love ones, and they will abandon the Cullens," Aro had murmured, fully engulfed in thoughts of retribution. _

Aro may have devised a clever plan, but it was one to which we had the antidote. I jerked at Bella, earning her glare, but she caught on quickly. "Edward…" she spoke very slowly as if she was lecturing a small child "…not now." She turned to Jacob as if she was frustrated, before prying my hand off hers and patting it in a reassuring manner. "Jake…"

He moved between us, nudging me back toward the group with his shoulders. I hissed out loudly, and he growled over me, providing me cover. Meanwhile, our eyes met in understanding.

I whispered rapidly in a very low, almost inaudible murmur as Jacob bared his canines at me, seemingly in warning to me. "Jacob, tell the ones at the reservation that a vampire is headed their way with a bioweapon, a vial of flu…the kind that killed my family. They should be fine if they are exposed, but they can't go back to the reservation after they take care of the vampire, not just yet." It was my hope, at least, that their supernatural healing powers would easily overwhelm and defeat the virus. "Tell them to stay away from the humans after they destroy the vampire until we know they aren't contagious," I added quickly and softly, knowing that he could communicate my fears to Sam through the connection they had. Sam could then inform the two youngest wolves we'd left at the reservation. Jasper had trained Joshua and David well. A single vampire wouldn't even be a challenge for them when the pair employed their takedown tactic - as long as the vamp wasn't talented. Aro's thoughts of the lone vampire had not yielded any information on whether that one was gifted or not, so I could only hope that he wouldn't have sacrificed a talent, desiring to have all of his chosen ones on the battle field.

Jacob's large brown eyes widened, but he relayed the information to Sam, who quickly passed it along. Amazingly, not a single one of the wolves even contemplated leaving, trusting the two left behind to handle the situation. Delight in being able to get in on the action echoed in the two young boy's minds as they raced into the forest, determining that the vampire would be coming from our general direction.

Our hurried interactions took less than a minute, but it was just the first step in the dance of hopefully neutralizing the plans I knew Aro and Caius had devised.

But even though I could feel good about what we'd accomplished, the sound of one of the little girls whimpering from across the field was excruciating and riveting. As if it was the Sirens' call, I pushed back against Jacob, "breaking free" and coming to a raging halt just at my father's other side…staring at the children as if I couldn't wait to rip into their throats. Coming to a crouch and leaning forward as if I was ready to lunge, I rested my hand in the grass. If I could just play my cards right, perhaps Aro would "feed" me like a lion in the zoo, tossing me my food.

Aro saw me in his peripheral vision, but he'd fully focused on my father, assessing the now stoic leader facing him. His and Caius' discussion ran through his mind.

Aro's words were decisive._ "Carlisle will be our key. Break him and the others will fall. His son is ruined. The larger one is strong, but no more so than Felix. However, we need to neutralize the one that survived the newborn wars. His talent and skills knows no ends."_

"_The shield, Isabella…"_ Caius had snarled, clearly wanting a piece of my wife.

"_Yes…"_ Aro had hissed fully intent on capturing my wife if at all possible and destroying her if not.

But Carlisle was Aro's focus for the moment, as Aro was my father's.

Carlisle broke the silence between the two first.

"I find it ironic, that you come to call us to task, yet you break the most sacred of laws," my father murmured in a dark voice, nodding toward the two children that Felix held.

Caius opened his mouth as if to voice his objection to Carlisle's words, but Aro sharply lifted his hand to silence the other leader. Caius fumed, his eyes murderous as he glared at Carlisle, but kept silent.

"They are but safeguards, Carlisle. A means to make you stop and think." He shrugged as if to minimize the seriousness of what he'd done, adopting a pained expression as if my father's implication was the farthest from the truth. He faced the witnesses for a moment, so that they might see the façade of his sincerity. "We come in peace. To speak with you about what occurred and the misunderstandings between our covens. Your _son_…we tried to help, but despite our best efforts, we were unsuccessful. He was unbalanced from the beginning, was he not?"

Carlisle hissed very gently between his clenched teeth, echoed by Maggie, at the clever lies presented by Aro. The Volturi leaders figured to change the tide in front of the few witnesses they'd amassed, playing to present themselves as we'd been the first time around…innocent bystanders only wanting the time to explain ourselves and the miracle of my daughter.

"I would have assessed my son as being introspective. If that makes him 'unbalanced'…" Carlisle emphasized the word, with a brief glance at the witnesses, "…then I daresay that there are others here today that might also need the specific type of therapy that was dispensed in Volterra. Would you like me to begin to compile a list?" he raised his eyebrow at the Volturi leader elegantly.

Flashes of Aro and Carlisle engaged in argumentative debate flew through both men's thoughts. These debates had been a favored pastime for the ruler and my father, so Aro clearly understood that Carlisle would place him first on said list. I had to quickly look down at the ground to keep from being caught smirking.

Then Marcus' stuttered thoughts caught my attention.

It was as if a clean cloth had been wiped across a dust-encrusted window…the world seeming brighter second by second as the filth was meticulously cleared away. The gentle brush of the wind against his skin, the feel of the sun on his face, the weight of the blanket that surrounded him being removed…they were all new sensations for the man that had been kept chained for so long, barely able to break through his apathy to give his opinion. The crippling agony that had long been held in abeyance wasn't new, but the intensity at which he felt it rolling over him in waves almost made him gasp. I saw him struggle and start to square his shoulders to readjust, to ascertain as to what had occurred as he glanced to those around him and then to us almost as if in surprise.

Demetri was beside Marcus, and I felt the moment that Bella worked her gift on him, shielding his mind from the effects of Corin's and Chelsea's powers - his mind crystalizing as he realized that Amun stood on the other side of the divide from him and the emotions overwhelming him from when Aro had taken him away from his maker. Demetri was incredibly intelligent. His eyes snapped to Bella immediately before stepping a foot to the left, positioning himself further away from Aro and closer to Heidi. He had his priorities and suddenly they were even stronger, clearer.

But while Demetri had already deduced what was happening, able to see his memories clearly and that Corin and Chelsea were the culprits, Marcus was immensely confused. He was faced with something that Demetri wasn't. Marcus felt an inexplicable draw to get closer to our side, sensing a tie, but floundering as to understanding it.

I wanted to shout in joy; I hadn't been wrong!

When Bella wrapped her protection around Heidi, the female vampire shifted, brushing her hand against Demetri's. It was subtle and covered by the large sleeves of their robes. I wouldn't have known, even if I had been watching, except for the jump of awareness between them. Demetri, instead of gazing back at Bella, shifted his gaze to me. Crystalizing in his mind was a growing awareness and understanding. I hoped immediately that Aro did not decide to touch him, otherwise he would immediately realize what was transpiring and react. Because the tracker had figured out my secret – that I wasn't the unkempt, unruly monster that I was pretending to be and that I'd most likely acquired their innermost thoughts during the time I'd been imprisoned. In an instant, he pondered the significance of why he and Heidi had been chosen.

_Felix, please, _he begged for his friend to be included.

So the loyalty I'd sensed amongst them was friendship and affection. I rolled my eyes wildly, catching his in the meantime.

_Is this actually happening? _he questioned, his fear of being caught warring with hope.

In answer, I moved a small distance forward, as if I was being lured, and Carlisle followed me, placing a hand on my shoulder as if to stop me. It brought us even closer to Aro. Our new maneuverings had only taken the bare seconds in between my father's retort and Aro's next response, but the benefits of what had been done, in such scant seconds, was immeasurable. Demetri, Heidi, and Marcus were at least wavering, questioning their allegiances, and we were in closer striking distance without having raised their concern.

"Carlisle, my friend, why must you assume the worst of me?" Aro murmured in a shocked voice to my father's comment of compiling a list, playing off well to his guard and to the witnesses watching.

I listened with a masked face as internally he considered his next steps, glancing at those around him and whether or not they were abiding by the orders given. Jane and Alec had been instructed to maintain their proximity to him and remain ready to inflict any damage they could. They hoped to lure us beyond Bella's shield, still viewing it as a bubble. He'd bestowed on Demetri the privilege of controlling Bella; hopefully, our progress made that a moot point.

"The mantle of responsibility implicit in controlling our world is difficult to shoulder at times, as you are aware and I have pointed out before." Aro took several short paces to one side. "After our last encounter, my guard members were sent here to collect intelligence as to whether Renesmee continued to grow and mature as proposed by the other hybrid." He glanced to Nahuel, seeing Fred beside him and wondering about the new addition to our numbers.

"It is my burden to monitor whether or not her existence threatens our exposure. You are soft-heartened Carlisle, your affections attached to her and her happiness. That calls into question whether or not you would attempt to cover up any mistakes as you have in the past with your children. Your son courted a human and exposed our secret to her, threatening our existence, drawing the attention of another mentally unstable vampire…" his words a slap at my perceived state "…and inducing a creation of a forbidden newborn army. Although, I will give you the acknowledgment that Renesmee's birth did not violate our absolute ban against the creation of immortal children as we were led to believe."

Aro paced in the other direction for an instant and then went on. "However, your leadership has developed a milieu that allows those within your coven to challenge the dictates most crucial to our survival and secrecy…and you cover for them. Your love for Renesmee knows no bounds, and because of our friendship, I am concerned that you might be unwilling to contact me if things had not gone according to plan. My supervision isn't one of dictatorship, but love."

Aro was very clever. His words were true…well except for his false concern and statements of affection. I'd courted Bella, revealed our nature to her, induced Victoria's wrath and caused the red-headed vampire to create Fred and the others. Irina had seen Renesmee from a distance; she wouldn't have had a reason to believe anything other than what she had. The only thing I could argue is that as a family member, Irina should have come to us instead of the Volturi, but she had been consumed with revenge. We couldn't defend against Aro's words, and the fact that his perception was real. Carlisle would do anything to protect us. His words were well played and established doubt in the minds of the witnesses behind him. Suddenly, they weren't so certain of the rage and justification they'd felt upon seeing my image.

Aro continued in presenting this particular layer of strategy with his next words. "They approached your son in peace. When he became aggressive, they bought him to me, afraid that to return him to you in that state would spark a war between us after the tenuous peace and words of reconciliation we parted upon."

My father smiled, but his expression was anything but jovial. He didn't plan to refute the claims of his allegiances, because to do so would make him look false before the others. But as intelligent as Aro was, my father was his match. "Ah…then it is good that you saw the futility of their actions, knowing that we parted friends and therefore there would be no need for such actions." The sarcasm was thick in his voice. Carlisle moved his hand from my shoulder, taking even a few more steps forward. "Tell me then, Aro, why you ignored our long-standing friendship and instead proceeded to torture my son?"

His words were the equivalent of a slap across the cheek with a pair of gloves. They also brought back into the witnesses' minds the pictures of me. It didn't totally negate Aro's clever words, but the recall of the images helped.

Aro straightened at Carlisle's forward taunt. He was expecting that Carlisle would play the game longer, particularly because they held two children hostage. I knew my father wanted to save them, but his attention was fully focused on the man in front of him, aware that Aro was using Carlisle's compassion against him. He was clear that the possibility of the humans' survival depended, in part, on him conversing with Aro long enough to give Bella time.

Felix and Santiago stood not far apart, the huge Volturi guard's eyes scanning the crowd as he held the two bronze headed children, and the smaller man already leaning forward as if poised to fly into battle. I watched them through other's eyes, seeing the uncharacteristic twitch of Felix's lips when my wife brought him under her shield, encasing him in a bubble. I almost cried out when Felix shuffled the two toddlers in reaction turning to catch Demetri's conspiratorial gaze in understanding. Burgundy eyes widened in a mixture of reticent hope. As the two friends silently communicated, Santiago straightened perceptibly, no longer intent on fulfilling the orders that Aro and Caius had issued.

It was curious thing…this awareness that overcame the Volturi Guard members as Bella blocked Corin's and Chelsea's gifts. The memories of their many years of service remained clear, but the subservience…the manner of being bound…became instantly intolerable. By nature, vampires were fiercely independent, usually only surviving in mated pairs. The realization that they'd been held virtual prisoners was defining. It was intolerable to creatures like us, beings with almost indestructible bodies, heightened senses, and superhuman strength, to be controlled in this manner. It was as if their existence restarted in that moment after being held in stasis. But while it was an intellectual catharsis for the Demetri, Felix, Heidi, and Santiago, Marcus' experience was liberally laced with the emotional pain of losing a mate…a pain that had been kept dulled by Aro's corruptness. As if his heart was throbbing, Marcus reached up to rub his hand over his chest.

Carlisle covered up the gaffe quickly by drawing all attention to him with his words. "No response, Aro?"

A glint of anger flared in the leader's bright burgundy eyes. "Watch yourself!" he hissed, showing his true colors and causing the few witnesses behind them to stir uncomfortably.

I heard the suspicion return in their minds. Several had been induced into coming during the first visit here. This time they'd been even less desirous, but many hadn't been given a choice. The fact that their numbers had been severely decimated didn't escape their notice.

"Watch what? The truth?" Carlisle growled. "You intentionally targeted Edward during a time you suspected he would be alone. You took him to Volterra as a way to subjugate me and my family, to torture my son, to pay me back for all the things that you've held in abeyance since our disagreements in Volterra." Bella stepped to us and laid her hand on Carlisle's arm as if to calm him, but he and I knew differently. It was her signal that she'd accomplished bringing all the others under her shield.

Carlisle smiled, a bit more calmly to Bella, then returned his eyes to the man in front of him. "We were friends, Aro," Carlisle admitted. "More than friends really, confidants. I admired your intelligence, creativity, and polish. For the first few years that I resided with you, I desired to emulate you. And the ironic thing is that had you given me leave to follow my desired lifestyle, I would've mostly still been with you. Your desire to control me drove me away, but it didn't destroy what was between us. I still held you in esteem, marveling at the way in which you managed our world. But your actions upon Edward this past year and your attack on us before have effectively destroyed the affections that once flourished."

He broke from his perusal of Aro and intently ran his gaze down the line taking in the multitude of individuals in dark robes glaring back at him.

"I am guilty of many things." I heard the Guard's satisfaction in him admitting to this and the witnesses shifted, uncertain as to his pathway. "However, if I am to stand before our kind accused of any misdeeds, I prefer that it be an accurate accusation. My guilt, the one I come before you today admitting, is one not of intentional doing, but one of complacency."

He stepped forward several more steps and the others behind us moved with him. It was an offensive movement, one that caused the Volturi Guard to straighten up, stiffen, and take on aggressive stances. I saw that the ones Bella was protecting did so in a delayed manner…their thoughts as to just which side they were prepared to take. I wanted to sigh in approval seeing that they wanted done with it, with the control and subjugation. Behind me, our family and friends began to gather into the groups we'd predetermined…Zafrina and the Romanians stepping to Bella's side, Seth and Leah just behind them. I could see Fred from the corner of my eye, and suspected that a wave of pure distress saturated the area in front of us.

"I created my own world, my own life, my own family," Carlisle continued, looking beyond Aro, Caius, and the guards to the witnesses. "And in doing so, I have forgotten my responsibility to our world…a responsibility I might say you personally indoctrinated into me. In the meantime, the rulers have become corrupt and bloated on their power and sanctimonious thoughts." The barbed words struck into the minds of the witnesses, who glanced at each other warily and then at the backs of the guard. His gaze traveled back to Aro. "Your actions have awakened me and called me into question. For that I am infinitely grateful, but today I am not here to defend my world. I am here to fight you for control of yours." Carlisle's eye flashed with darkness and determination as he presented his case.

My father was brilliant. Aro and Caius had had many more layers of strategies plotted out for different contingencies and situations as were their wont. Strategies that could and would have been implemented if my father's unexpected behavior hadn't upstaged them. The attack on the Quileute, the children, and calling Carlisle's sanity into question was but a long line of well thought out plans. But Aro had never been formally challenged for leadership before. Certainly, there had been ineffective attempts to infiltrate the castle, and he'd presented to our world that the Romanians had aspired to take his place…but no vampire had ever stood before him or a gathering of immortals and formally declared his or her desire to lead a rebellion to overthrow the triumvirate.

Aro's eyes widened as Carlisle's challenge registered in his mind, and then he growled out in rage, infuriated by Carlisle's words. Were he human, he'd have flushed beet-red with his rage. Entirely forsaking his plan to wait on the vampire to return from La Push and divide our power, in rage, a feeling fueled out of control by Jasper, he flicked his wrist and a wave of immortals rushed forward.

He glanced to Felix, and I knew our time was up with the girls. I'd been hoping that Felix would insure their safety, but that wasn't something we could count on. He might be considering defection, but he was still a traditional vampire, and he knew that this wasn't Aro's final assault, so his calculations weren't based on emotion. Humans were food, barely worth the benefit of thought other than what it took to obtain them. When Felix tossed them toward us, as he'd been instructed, I leapt up into the air like a starving animal. His concession was that he'd thrown them directly at me, giving me at least the opportunity to do what I wanted. Twisting my back to the Volturi, I attempted to capture them as gently as possible. But even as careful as I was, I heard one of the smaller one's arms break against my hard body as she spun against me. I fell to the ground snarling in rage. However, her scream of pain was very convenient.

I heard Aro's thrill believing that I was already falling prey to the blood lust. He was hoping that my actions would cause the wolves to react and that his minions might get to Bella in the process, so that Jane and Alec could decimate us. He grinned when Emmett and Rosalie jumped onto my back, and waited in anticipation for the wolves to jump in. What resulted was an Oscar worthy performance of me struggling against my siblings to retain hold of the girls. In the end, Rosalie cradled them protectively as the one whimpered, and I tried hard not to fall under her spell of infatuation. It was the least of our worries at the moment. Emmett put a little too much effort into slamming me back to the ground, causing a crevice to form under me.

_Sorry, bro, but I'm enjoying myself, _he said with a silent smirk.

Seeing I was "under control," my father stood steadfastly in the face of the oncoming horde, a smirk on his face. He didn't even blink. It was an eerie picture, and, in combination with our lack of reaction to the approaching line, it greatly disconcerted Aro. He turned to see if by some happenstance Alec had been able to anesthetize us with his black mist.

Then a curious sight occurred; one we'd hoped would happen. We'd all been victims, willingly or unwillingly, of Fred's gift, so when the charging, robe covered immortals fell to the ground, retching in ways that they hadn't experienced since being human, with several actually vomiting human blood from their stomachs and the rest dry-heaving, a few snickers rang out from our side. Aro's rage grew to a level that I saw Jasper shift, as he continued to "juice" the man's emotions, attempting to adapt to the feelings.

My father chuckled and shook his head at the spectacle of sickened vampires just yards from him. "Aro, I would say that I'm surprised by your lack of control but I'm not." Many of the faces across the way jerked from the still retching immortals, who were desperately attempting to crawl back toward the line held by the Volturi, back to my father. Caius' face was incandescent with rage and contempt as he observed his subordinates crawling on the ground; he had never encountered this before. Aro was perceived as the epitome of control and dispassionate debate, so Carlisle's statement was considered heresy. My father, almost in a too cocky manner, stepped a few feet closer. "Hm…but I'd discovered your secret, Aro."

The leader's mind raced, his mind swiftly blurring over different disparate events, wondering just what secret Carlisle might know. His eyes jerked to me, my still bowed over, sniffling, and pinned body in suspicion, but my father's words pulled his attention from me. Emmett finally took his knee out of my back and stepped back to Rosalie. Renesmee stood near her, entranced with the babies.

"You have a weakness, Aro. And for someone who exploits those in others, I'm surprised that you allowed yours to be so apparent today." Carlisle laughed, shaking his head as if we were on a Sunday stroll instead of facing our destruction. The wind stirred around us, sending his hair into his face. With a very human mannerism, he reached up to brush it away. It was all very nonchalant, but he'd done it intentionally, as if he didn't have a care in the world. His voice was calm as he continued. "One I've finally ascertained." He faced Aro directly again. "When you are faced with a situation that you can't control, that fails to conform to your desires, you respond irrationally and often in a manner that you later regret."

Aro laughed deeply as if my father's words were the greatest of humor. He believed my father had played right into his hands, supporting what he and Caius had planned.

"_To bring about Carlisle's downfall we must convince the witnesses of his instability. Living as a family,"_ Caius had scoffed. _"Drinking from filthy animals, catering to humans and repairing their fragile bodies. Living in coexistence with the mutants. We won't be able to undermine the beliefs of those that will stand with the Cullens, but we will have the witnesses entranced and if necessary we will induce them to fight with us."_

"_Agreed. However, my treatment of Carlisle last time was one built upon the premise of our long ago friendship. The destruction of his character must be decisive and done with supposed affection."_

Aro had known even then that the title of _Stregoni Benefici_ my father earned during their time with them wouldn't be easily debunked; introducing the idea of proposing that my father was mentally unstable was an unwise leap of thought in his opinion and would be doomed. A presumption that my father was under undo stressors and therefore overwhelmed…was a plausible variation of the theme.

"Carlisle, I believe the stress has finally gotten to you." He held out his hand to my father as if offering it in peace. His sickened guard members finally rose just feet in front of him and blurred around behind desperate to escape whatever gifted vampire we had in our midst. "Please, my friend, come with me. Let us return to Volterra, and I'll make everything right."

His voice was oddly endearing, almost hypnotic. A lesser man would've been seduced by it. However, my father was not a lesser man. In fact, he was immensely pleased by Aro's attempt at manipulation. The master manipulator had just been manipulated.

"Make everything right," my father murmured, bringing his hand to his chin and rubbing it thoughtfully. "Edward…would you care to share just how Aro makes everything right?"

Aro and the Volturi thought his question rhetorical. I was petty enough to enjoy their surprise when I stood to my feet and turned to face them. The shock of seeing me rise, obviously well adapted and in control of my faculties, immobilized them for a moment. Those among them that had been freed by  
>Bella sighed silently with relief at the true validation that their assumption were real. Aro and Caius had frozen, as only vampires can, with concern and sudden apprehension. Both filled with fear of what I, fully restored, might bring to the mix of this Machiavellian standoff.<p>

"With me?" I asked my father before turning to catch Marcus' eyes. If I could save him from this pain I would, but I needed him on our side…or at least not on Aro's. "Or with Didyme?"

Marcus startled immediately on hearing, her name filtering even through his pain. Aro knew immediately what was about to occur. His rapid fire brain realized in that moment that he'd been played…and well. He relived in a bare second his memories of the entire time I'd been in the castle and realized what knowledge I'd been able to glean…although he didn't need to know that my gift had failed toward the end. Acknowledging how dire the situation was, he turned to Corin and Chelsea at his side, snarling. They were useless thanks to my wife, but he didn't know that.

"Master!" they squeaked, but I projected my words over them.

"Marcus! Aro and Caius arranged for Didyme's destruction. They couldn't allow you to leave. Your gift was more important to them than your happiness. She wasn't killed in the skirmish by Stefan's and Vladimir's forces. It was a calculated move on their part to keep you with them. Her guard member, Marc, he disappeared as well, didn't he? Aro couldn't allow him to live could he? After he'd followed their orders."

Stunned disbelief held Marcus immobile. Aro hissed, his mind racing as he sought away to attempt to contain the situation, and the Volturi swelled around him, pressing forward and preparing to attempt attack against us again as Marcus struggled at his side. It was too fantastical…too horrendous for the ancient one to consider…that his love had been a victim of sororicide. Aro had been his "friend" for millennia and was his brother-in-law…Didyme's brother. The idea was too horrific to be true, even in Volterra.

Luckily, I had something that I believed would convince him. Holding my hands out to the grieving man…a man that I was about to have a hand in destroying his very heart…a man that had once argue against my destruction when I'd thought I'd lost mine…I said very softly, "Neri." He gasped, the sound snapping out into the air. "It was the last word she said, before he destroyed her."

I hadn't known what it meant, the word, other than it was what Aro had viewed through the vampire's memories before he'd eliminated him. But as awareness began as a small kernel in Marcus' breast and throbbed almost like his heart, sending rage racing through his body, just like his heart would have pushed life nourishing blood, I heard Marcus' memory, and smiled as Tanya broke.

"Water?" she said softly, her voice interestingly enough taking on an ancient tone and cadence. Marcus' eyes snapped in the direction, but she was behind Jasper and Eleazar.

"_Marcus, let it slip over you like water. You are most important to me. Don't allow the schemes my brother creates worry you so."_ The beautiful black headed, black eyed woman I'd seen in his thoughts constantly said, her eyes sparkling with love and humor. She was teasing him to forget the obligation of standing by Aro in order to enjoy the day. It was the very reason she was destroyed, wanting to live for love instead of duty.

The rage inside him combusted as Marcus realized what Didyme's last thought had been…of him and her desire that her death not destroy him. He also knew that she wouldn't have been thinking that unless what I'd told him was true. And there was only one way that I could know that…by hearing it from Aro's thoughts…thoughts stolen from the vampire that had accomplished the act.

Heat and passion merged within him, restoring, for the moment, the power of a long dead ruler. For the first time in millennia, nothing hindered him from being the leader that he'd been cultivated to be. Roaring like a lion, Marcus of Volturi lunged at his brother-in-law…a millennium and a half of rage, love, and hate focused finally on the man that had destroyed his mate and in doing so, him. And as he did, all hell broke loose around us and my father snapped forward as planned, running fast toward Caius.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts. I'm behind on responding to reviews - buit I promise to do so. I've been working furiously on the next chapters. <strong>**The betas already have the next two and I'm working on the next to last. So hopefully they'll be posted soon!**

**My many thanks to Nikki, who signed on for the arduous task of pre-reading and betaing this for me. Her thoughts for clarifications, additions, and subtractions (smile) are brilliant. HA! My many thanks, madam!**

**And to Cold One Paul. He puts so much of himself into each of these chapters. I can't tell you how helpful it is to have a man's input…when you are writing a man's POV! ;)** **I say this every week, but I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. Without your guidance, this story would not be half as good. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! Your input, rewording, and care are what makes it what it is!**

**To crmcneill, thanks for letting me have a hand in the story you envisioned so long ago.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. **

**Cringing to post this chapter, considering it might be considered lame when we see what happens in the movie…HA! Can't wait - I have my all day ticket bought. Anyone else?**

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><p>"<em>Marcus! Aro and Caius arranged for Didyme's destruction. They couldn't allow you to leave. Your gift was more important to them than your happiness. She wasn't killed in the skirmish by Stefan's and Vladimir's forces. It was a calculated move on their part to keep you with them. Her guard member, Marc, he disappeared as well, didn't he? Aro couldn't allow him to live could he? After he'd followed their orders." <em>

_Stunned disbelief held Marcus immobile. Aro hissed, his mind racing as he sought away to attempt to contain the situation, and the Volturi swelled around him, pressing forward and preparing to attempt attack against us again as Marcus struggled at his side. It was too fantastical…too horrendous for the ancient one to consider…that his love had been a victim of sororicide. Aro had been his "friend" for millennia and was his brother-in-law…Didyme's brother. The idea was too horrific to be true, even in Volterra._

_Luckily, I had something that I believed would convince him. Holding my hands out to the grieving man…a man that I was about to have a hand in destroying his very heart…a man that had once argue against my destruction when I'd thought I'd lost mine…I said very softly, "Neri." He gasped, the sound snapping out into the air. "It was the last word she said, before he destroyed her."_

_I hadn't known what it meant, the word, other than it was what Aro had viewed through the vampire's memories before he'd eliminated him. But as awareness began as a small kernel in Marcus' breast and throbbed almost like his heart, sending rage racing through his body, just like his heart would have pushed life nourishing blood, I heard Marcus' memory, and smiled as Tanya broke._

"_Water?" she said softly, her voice interestingly enough taking on an ancient tone and cadence. Marcus' eyes snapped in the direction, but she was behind Jasper and Eleazar._

"_Marcus, let it slip over you like water. You are most important to me. Don't allow the schemes my brother creates worry you so." The beautiful black headed, black eyed woman I'd seen in his thoughts constantly said, her eyes sparkling with love and humor. She was teasing him to forget the obligation of standing by Aro in order to enjoy the day. It was the very reason she was destroyed, wanting to live for love instead of duty._

_The rage inside him combusted as Marcus realized what Didyme's last thought had been…of him and her desire that her death not destroy him. He also knew that she wouldn't have been thinking that unless what I'd told him was true. And there was only one way that I could know that…by hearing it from Aro's thoughts…thoughts stolen from the vampire that had accomplished the act._

_Heat and passion merged within him, restoring, for the moment, the power of a long dead ruler. For the first time in millennia, nothing hindered him from being the leader that he'd been cultivated to be. Roaring like a lion, Marcus of Volturi lunged at his brother-in-law…a millennium and a half of rage, love, and hate focused finally on the man that had destroyed his mate and in doing so, him. And as he did, all hell broke loose around us and my father snapped forward as planned, running fast toward Caius. _

"You killed her!" Marcus swore out in fury, wrapping his hands around Aro's throat. The full impact of the ancient agony and realization that his "brother" had ordered Didyme's death hadn't hit him yet, but I knew it would soon. I could barely hear the words over the roar of clashing vampire bodies and the snarls of the wolves as the two sides surged into battle.

However, through Marcus' eyes I did see Aro's startled face just before he began to fight his brother-in-law in earnest. Marcus was struggling to lay hands on Aro, because Renata had focused her attention on her leader, trying to utilize her physical shield to separate the two. The tiny vampire was significantly anxious, not understanding what had just occurred. Marcus' determination was winning for the moment because Renata hadn't thought to practice keeping Aro shielded during the thick of an altercation as Bella had with us. They'd always assumed that no one would get that close to Aro; Jane was enough to deter any who dared. But she was quickly adapting, and Marcus was having difficulty finding purchase on Aro. Aro's gift gave him some advantage while they were touching, but it wasn't as expansively encompassing as mine; he was limited to only one at a time. However, with Aro's advantage and Renata's strengthening shield, Marcus needed our assistance or Aro would quickly gain the upper hand.

"Tanya! Get to Renata!" I ordered the blonde Denali at my side.

"So on it." It was her only reply as we crashed into the group ahead of us.

The individuals we faced were nameless, merely minor guard members. The ones we were trying to get to were still behind the initial sacrificial wave. Fred's gift was useless as general protection now, he'd had to withdraw it closer into the sphere of our side when Carlisle dashed forward, but I saw that he stood in front of Bella, Nessie, and the two humans, whom Rosalie had passed off to my child. Already a group had charged Fred's protectees, but they were unsuccessful in their advance, lying on the ground in retching agony, at least until Seth and Leah reached them…then their anguish was of a more deadly nature before cutting off completely. I thought of Zafrina, also sheltered behind Fred, and smirked to hear confusion begin in Jane and Alec…her visual gift was working in blinding and confusing the "witch twins." A guard member near Jane screamed as he stumbled into her, and she blindly attempted to defend herself. Tearing the head off of the man in front of me, I allowed his body to drop to the ground before reaching out to help Tanya against the man who'd targeted her as she'd attempted to make her way forward.

"Go!" I encouraged her.

Her attacker had a friend, and they knew exactly who I was; their minds showed the future rewards to them if they were the ones to destroy or recapture me, so the altercation promised to be a little more entertaining on both sides. The original one had been attracted to Tanya and had wanted to attack her first, but I was a much more enticing prospect.

Paul joined us swiftly at Tanya's and my side, and I waved them on as the two guard members and I sized each other up. They circled me in assessment as my friends quickly moved away to help Marcus. As the two guards heckled me, I strategically played with them using the time to survey the scene from the other's thoughts. From Emmett's perspective, I saw that Jacob was with my father, and that they were closing in on Caius now in the brutal melee. I sent up a quick prayer that a vampire didn't take a snap at the huge brown wolf, as the consequences could be unbearable. The others were, for now, following our directions. Bella stood still, her eyes half-lidded as she focused on everyone under her protection. Nessie held the two whimpering children, her body heat comforting even the one with the broken arm. Stefan and Vladimir were happily picking off vampires, alongside Leah and Seth, as Fred released the Volturi guards from his gift.

Grunting in pain as one of the men targeting me delivered a particularly vicious blow, I was distracted for a bare second. But when I ripped his arms off and then his head, spinning for the other, the shock of what I heard in Demetri's and Felix's thoughts startled me. They were going for Jane and Alec. It would seem that removed from the mind and mood control the Volturi leaders had employed to maintain cohesion and discipline, they had long-standing and deeply rooted issues with the twins. Even if we didn't win today, they were doing what they could to ensure their possibility of going AWOL from the Volturi troops. Alec was the first victim of their combined efforts. The blinded perpetual youth suspected nothing as the two came up behind him, assuming upon hearing their cloaks and tinkle of their insignia identifying themselves as Volturi that they were there to protect him as one of Aro's chosen ones. His scream of pain alerted Jane, and Kate got caught in the way of her errant pain-inducing blind gaze. Jane had shot in the dark, quite literally, and had gotten momentarily lucky. Kate went down, falling at Jane's feet, but our cousin was smart, reaching out to grab the woman beside her. Jane fell to her knees as Kate gave her own dose of retribution. Blinded and in agony from Kate's touch, Jane fell victim to Felix and Demetri, just as Garrett moved to join them. Destroying the man I'd played with, I started to move forward in hope.

But my joy at seeing the witch die was short lived as I realized what was about to happen next.

"NO! Rose!" I screamed out, but couldn't be heard over the chaos. Afton, who'd utilized his gift to make himself invisible, grabbed my sister just before she reached Sulpicia. Rose had miraculously gotten close to the leaders, but as ordered, Afton had lain in wait for any of us that did. Rosalie's thoughts were a tsunami that abruptly cut off, bringing a sharp void in my mind; so used to hearing her thoughts no matter how argumentative or vain-filled. After tearing Rose's head from her body, he discarded her like refuse and waited for Emmett to come in defense.

The hair on my arms stood up in anger…waves of it washing over me, tugging at me to obliterate the man. A red haze filmed over my vision, and I had to shake myself to keep from reacting. Needed to think…

Struggling to remain collected, I turned to the man not far from me. "Benjamin!" I called out. But he was engaged, so I joined him to help quickly make work of the vampire he was fighting against. "Rain!" I ordered sharply. "Lots of it!"

We hadn't thought of this…to stop the disposal of the pieces of our family and allies. For whoever won could reattach them as long as they weren't burned. Hearing his thoughts coalesce around my request and seeing the dark storm clouds gather almost instantaneously above us gave me some relief, because even the torches that the Volturi carried couldn't withstand the deluge he released down upon us. As the rain pelted us and the ground and the crescendo of the roaring thunder and lightning added to the bedlam, I knew I needed to get him to where he could continue focusing and realizing I might be the only one capable of fighting Afton by tracking his thoughts, I turned to Benjamin's mate.

"Tia, can you take him to Bella?" I asked her, implying for her to literally carry Benjamin so that he could continue concentrating. Even as I made the request, I was finding it hard to think rationally, the pull to destroy primal and quickly growing stronger than the one to remain logical.

Her eyes widened at my fierce expression; the obvious war I was fighting evident on my features. "Yes," she replied, assessing the divide between us and the Volturi forces being sickened by Fred. It would be dicey, but I had to trust she could.

Pulses of anger and energy tantalized me…whispering across my skin in promise. Feeling as wild as my appearance and the storm, I wanted to destroy them…those that had a hand in my torture, the same ones attacking us now. Leaping into the thick of it, I fought the urge to let loose, seeing faces that had meshed with demons in my memories, in my torture. There was one who'd laughed at my nakedness, here was one who'd raped one of the first women…just a girl really, who'd thought she'd fare better with the jailer…not the jailed. I growled at one of the female guard members I passed, catching her unique scent. She'd thought it amusing to strip the young human women culled from the groups of victims brought in by Heidi periodically, taking away their dignity and attempting to strip away their humanity by making them seem nothing more than play toys.

The list went on…

The need to let loose at my former jailers clawed at my chest, and the wild, darker part of me suddenly felt crazed at the limitations I was inflicting upon us. Inside the desire to destroy ran rampant, tearing at me, crashing against my chest, roaring to be set loose. It battled against the rational part of me hanging on by a thin thread…the one that saw a goal that needed to be accomplished. They could work together…needed to work together.

_Rose…_I argued…_our sister…the one we protected before. She needs us. _

I was intent on getting to where she lay in pieces and Emmett was currently fighting to prevent her from being scattered and burned. A low rumble of temporary agreement…acquiescent, sounded out of my chest. The rumble within was echoed in a cascade of sound from the intensity of the storm Benjamin was still fueling, in the relentless rain that dropped against us and pounded the ground, turning it to mud below our feet, the electricity in the air, and the shrieking crashes of the lightning.

But around me, furious life and death battles occurred between our group and the Volturi soldiers, and the thoughts of the individuals around me crowded in, making me uncomfortable and the fiendish part of me pushed to dominate once more. I was ready to fight, but I needed to focus…to get where I was most needed. _Rose!_ I reminded myself with a dark growl.

Screeches of vampires being torn apart echoed around the field, making the atmosphere intolerable, and I tried not to cringe as I heard several friends' rational thoughts cease, focusing instead on their salvation…which was to win this skirmish. But with each step, I felt the savageness expanding, the need to destroy my enemies growing almost unbearable.

It was a dangerous dance, this bargaining I did with myself.

As if I and my control were being specifically taunted by a malicious demon, two well-trained and fierce fighters choose that moment to attack Esme. It was planned, this tag-team, as a way to induce Carlisle to rage and spontaneous, versus carefully thought out, action. As it was, he was fighting hard against Caius. I was torn, for Emmett was a better fighter, but my skills were needed for his particular opponent. Esme wasn't prepared for what these two knew, and she went down, pain radiating from her body where they'd torn at her legs. Alice leapt over one of the guard's back and suddenly they were faced with a pint-sized fury, but even as talented as she was, she was being tested.

At the same time, I heard one of the wolves, Collin, cry out in pain.

NO! Oh God! He'd been bitten, too intent on taking on a vampire on his own and not waiting on Brady to back him. Jasper had had to deal with their egos. Yes, a wolf was fully capable of taking down a vampire, but it was in their best interests to work together. Together a group could easily take down prey and rip the body apart. Yet the young wolf had ignored Jasper's instructions, only to find it costly.

We didn't want to just win; we wanted to come out of this without injury. I wanted to sob as I sensed, in the boy's mind, the venom already racing like acid through his body. As I heard the vampire crush his bones and his soft internal organs, I knew it was a death sentence. His supernatural nature, amplified as it were, wouldn't be able to heal with the venom coursing through his body. His body, attempting to deal with the severe injuries, was unable to effectively battle the venom. The wolves howled in distress and not a little rage as their mental link gave them sharp clarity into his pain and the vicious sensations of the venom; the eerie sound of their raised voice, howling above the storm, added a surreal feel to what was occurring. My feral scream added to theirs as I heard his agony and the realization of his impending death race through him. He was but a boy and now all his hopes and aspirations were gone, in a moment of not sticking to plan, of not listening to what he'd been repeatedly told. However, none of that mattered now…it was just the stark reality that this was one wrong we couldn't make right.

The wolves' rage fueled mine, and the heat that had remained simmering at the base of my spine flared. I felt the tiny bindings of restraint snapping away at Collin's pain, combined with my mother's and sister's, the heat of the battle, and the silence of some of our friends.

It was too much.

My control broke…

Blurs of images raced through my mind as I exploded into action. Distantly, I registered the feel of Chelsea's hair as I sank my fingers into her tresses and gripped her body, but barely realized how I'd gotten here or my actions as I stepped away from her mangled body. I heard the Volturi all stumble in that moment, the ties keeping them together disappearing like gossamer spider webs in a strong wind – it changed the tide, but it didn't matter to me. Two more easy kills fueled me as I destroyed the guard members that had taunted me as they threw the human women to me in the cell.

Corin came next…rage making me numb to her stunned thoughts as all I felt was satisfaction in ending her life. Ignoring the weak call of mercy, I gave into the need to sink my teeth into her. I ripped the throat of the next vampire out, spitting the flesh away before straddling the twitching body to tear at it with my nails. But Emmett's thoughts about his fear for Rose and frustration broke through, and I leapt across several bodies to crash into Afton.

It was then I got a glimpse of myself through Emmett. I was filthy thanks to my disguise, and my face looked monstrous with flat black eyes, lips drawn back, and skin taunt across rigid muscles.

Vengeful…it was the only apt description. The man inside snickered and deep, dark satisfaction poured through me as I engaged in combat against Afton. He was a worthy, highly skilled opponent. I could hear what he thought, but without the visual accompaniment, his strategy was more difficult to counteract. The thrill of the fight was addictive; it was one to which I was rarely treated.

A brief portion of my rational mind barely noted when Emmett left him to me, bound to get Rose and Esme to safety. It was the last glimpse of sanity I had for a few minutes as I shrugged off the final remnants of my civility and humanity. Deep grunts of satisfaction poured out of me as instinct controlled my actions. Blows landed as teeth gnashed. Pleasure raced across my skin as I tore at Afton, and even as he began to falter I continued, lashing out…funneling my fury into his destruction.

In a very small portion of my consciousness, my mind caught, almost automatically, snapshots of Carlisle fighting Caius, Marcus and Aro circling each other, and Tanya taking on Renata. My father was fighting viciously as well, and I growled in pleasure as he lashed out at Caius.

Afton weakened and I grew bored. Snapping his neck, I pulled his broken, headless body behind me with one hand and the other holding his sightless head by the hair like a spoil of war, like Achilles dragging Hector behind his chariot, across the field as I saw Eleazar fighting another and wanted a piece of that vampire as well. But Jasper blurred to my side, saturating me with calm. I snarled at him, reaching forward as if to push him away, but he sidestepped me gracefully. The wave of peacefulness he sent me was so strong that I even dropped Afton's body, sagging under his spell.

"Edward, focus," he said authoritatively.

Angry at his interference, my muscles bunched to strike out at him…until I realized what I was doing and horror set in. I was not so far gone that the realization I was about to attack my brother didn't register. Breathing deeply and focusing on the feelings Jasper was sending my way, I attempted to soothe myself. However, my anger rumbled…seeing several fights that I would enjoy.

Jasper focused on me, determined to win this battle of wills between us.

While I fought for control, I watched Carlisle through the others. That I experienced deep satisfaction from seeing him in action wasn't lost on me. He'd heard Esme's cry of pain and was distracted, just as planned. Caius landed a vicious blow, throwing Carlisle through the air, but ironically my father landed close to Athenodora, who was being protected by a guard member. Flipping gracefully onto his feet, Carlisle angled and decapitated the guard, grabbing Athenodora around the neck gracefully. When Caius realized the mistake he'd made and how it had put his wife in danger, he lost all composure and rushed Carlisle recklessly. Jasper had warned us about this very thing, and how it put you at risk. Caius should have known, so when Carlisle coldly tore Athenodora in half, Caius lost all control.

The sound of them hitting one another echoed across the field as another wolf fell to a vampire's skill. PAUL! The guard member squeezed his ribs hard, cracking them, and he was about to deliver the kiss of death when Santiago intervened, peeling his former compatriot from the wolf. Changing back to human form, Paul fell naked to the ground gasping for breath. I was afraid that his injuries were too severe even for the wolves' miraculous healing, but I realized we had to win before anything could be done. While Santiago fought the guard member, Alice dashed in, picking Paul up gently and running, through the storm, toward Bella's group.

Finally feeling more my composed self, I turned back to Jasper, and it was then I saw the destruction I'd accomplished through his memory of my track through the group trying to get to Emmett and Rose. I'd only remembered attacking Corin, Chelsea, and a few others, but in my rage and fury, I'd grabbed many more along the way from our allies…freeing them to help one another. Jasper had seen it all from where he'd been fighting beside Felix and Demetri. He'd worried for a moment about my state of mind, but having felt my focus on getting to Emmett, he'd returned to the task at hand. But when he'd sensed my growing aggression as I fought Afton, the thrill of the fight fueling me, he'd paused, feeling unsure of my ability to bring myself back.

In my rage, I'd been incredibly vicious and uncompromising. Looking down to Afton's body, as if in surprise at my animalistic behavior, I then glanced across the field, seeing several of our family members and friends glancing at me gingerly. My pathway resembled the destruction of a tornado, with twitching bodies strewn here and there. I shuddered at the chaos I'd created. Turning back to Jasper as the incredibility of it all overwhelmed me, I saw his assessing stare. Flanked by Demetri and Felix, he waited for me to regain that which was my rational self. I didn't have the heart to tell them that what had just occurred had indeed been me. It was a realization I would have to address, but later.

Focus indeed…

Shivering from the still boiling frenzy within me, I called upon every resource to contain the protective animal within me. I observed, through Jasper's thoughts, my eyes turn back to gold from the black that had dominated them. Around us, the witnesses had finally started disappearing and fleeing into the woods, seeing that the Volturi had become disorganized and afraid our, my, ire would focus on them next.

"We have to get to the Volturi leaders," he huffed, seeing a line of still fighting individuals between us, but we both knew that for Caius and Aro to be contained would see the end of the group. Without Corin and Chelsea, the demise of the leaders would certainly spell out the final hold of the Volturi.

"Jasper…Paul is seriously injured. We need to get him to safety. And Collin…" My words came out as almost a groan, the tide of regret threatening to wash over me.

"I know," he interrupted, the pain clear in his voice. In addition to the thoughts and emotions of the battling immortals, he was feeling everything from the dying wolf and the injured one. Collin's and Paul's thoughts and emotions, as the reality of mortality overtook them, were far from serene.

Jasper and I moved almost as one. Emmett, having returned from getting his wife and Esme to safety, joined us as we made our way toward the group where our father fought. Jacob and Tanya were working together to destroy Renata, but what happened next would forever be etched into my most cherished moments.

Renata eliminated, Tanya turned and without thought flung herself onto Aro's back. Startled to be attacked in such a manner, Aro stumbled, and Tanya tearing at his neck with her fingers, screaming in an ancient language at him. Marcus froze at the sight, seeing his defender clearly and hearing the words flowing from her mouth in his native language. Tanya was cursing Aro and his existence.

Unfortunately, Aro was a talented fighter; whereas Tanya was operating on full emotion and lesser expertise. She saw Aro as the perpetrator in her aunt's death and Irina's destruction, associating the rage coursing through her to those events, and she was allowing the emotions to sway her. Consequently he flipped her off his back easily, tossing her to the ground, but he no longer had Renata to protect him. When Aro turned, it was to receive a well-aimed blow, Marcus literally punching him for good measure.

We would've moved in to help, but he didn't need us now. This was a blood feud, and it was one we didn't have the right interfering with. Shrugging off the last demands of my conscience to intervene and the need to destroy, I settled down. When Jasper turned to go help Carlisle, I placed my hand on his arm. Our father didn't need help either; he had his hand wrapped around Caius' throat and then slammed him to the ground. Hissing down at the leader, whose eyes were bulging out in disbelief, Carlisle tore the blond vampire's head from his body, leaving the twitching torso to fumble ungracefully on the ground as he tossed Caius' head a distance away. Then he kicked the body over. Placing his knee to Caius' back, he tore his arms away as well.

The sound of Caius' final scream of rage, just before Carlisle destroyed him, had had the desired effect on those of the Volturi still standing. Heads turned and seeing what had occurred, they suddenly knew this battle's outcome. The surviving guard began running. A few of the wolves, Seth and Leah in the lead, took off in chase. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that they at least left in twos as we'd ingrained in them. Released from the fight he'd been engaged in, Sam moved across the field to where Paul lay still and Jared, Quil, and Embry stood as sentinels around Collin. He was close to death, and I grieved for what this would mean. They'd come knowingly, but I'd hoped…

Her guard having abandoned her, Sulpicia screamed out in a shrill tone, seeing Marcus and Aro circling each other. Tanya's eyes lit with uncommon fervor. She spun to view Aro's mate, and her lips pulled back in a sneer. As Tanya lunged, I saw in Alice's vision how that was going to end…Tanya huffing in satisfaction over the woman's pieces.

Seeing the danger gone, Benjamin finally allowed the relentless storm to cease. The silence at its cessation, combined with the conclusion of the battle, with the exception of the two brothers who were circling each other, was eerie. It made me twitch from the venom still coursing like adrenaline through me. I briefly smirked at the realization that I was like a junkie…perhaps the heroin addict I'd once used to reference myself…jonesing from the need to destroy.

Sensing my disquiet, my father stopped to place his hand on my and Jasper's shoulders before glancing over to catch Emmett's eyes. He was just as wild and uncontrolled as us. His thoughts were much like mine…that he needed to find balance again. His answer lay just across the field from us, the practice of healing that had always given him peace and fulfillment. He glanced back only once at Aro, his thoughts a maelstrom of regret, grief, anger, and righteousness, before he turned away, leaving the leader's fate to Marcus in a final act of goodbye to the man that he had once called his friend.

"I'm going to see if there is anything I can do for Collin, Paul, and the child," my father murmured.

Eleazar and Alistair had already helped with Esme, Rosalie, and Hua, who lay on the ground healing from the agonizing process of their pieces being reunited. It was comparable to the pain of the initial change process, and I felt it admirable that they had contained their cries…fearful that to fail would've provided dangerous distractions. Nahuel, Peter, and Charlotte were scanning the field, attempting to find the parts belonging to others of our group. Charles and Makenna, as well as, Pelayo and Ildaria, some of our newest friends, were still missing. Amun, Vladimir, and Stefan moved to our side as my father walked off, watching in grim fascination as Marcus and Aro stopped to face one another.

"Why?!" Marcus spit out. The tone was harsh, but filled with agony.

Aro didn't even answer, using silence as a defense.

It infuriated Marcus that he wasn't even deemed worthy of a response from his brother-in-law, and he lunged at Aro again. This time, it seemed that fate declared Marcus worth of its grace. I'd already turned to see where our newest allies had gathered when I heard the tale-tell screeching of Aro's demise. I didn't need to see the fury in person; I witnessed it from the various individuals' minds around me as it occurred.

The Volturi that had sided with us waited at the edge of the forest line, and as I felt Bella's hand slip into mine, we moved toward them. She squeezed my hand gently, reaching up with her other to the gash in my arm. It hurt, but other than that one wound, I'd survived without any other injury. Her touch centered me as nothing else could, helping me to bring the final vestiges of my aggression under control. As if she sensed my peace, she pushed her shield away, reliving her concern as she saw snippets of my travel across the field. She'd almost broken at that point, dropping the shield to get to me, believing I would need her. I would always need her…for the rest of eternity…and it certainly would help for me to have some time with her, to reaffirm that I was still the man she believed me to be and desired. But for now, the dissident Volturi soldiers stood before us, waiting to hear their fates. Being privileged to their thoughts, I started off with what needed to be said first.

"Stay, for now. There is much that will need to be done. Our hope is that Marcus will continue his leadership, and he will need your services." Demetri seemed to be the unofficial spokesman of their group. As he held Heidi's hand, much like I did Bella's, he glanced back over to where Marcus crouched over Aro's pieces. He wondered about the formerly morose man's ability to rule, looking back to me with intent and interest. He was, after seeing my berserk behavior on the field, thinking of the benefits of shifting his allegiances to me and the family.

"Marcus…" Tanya's soft, hesitant voice rang out clearly across the meadow, even amidst the sound of fires being stoked and Paul's cries as my father attempted to straighten out the multitude of broken bones and tend to his injuries. Her voice distracted me from further conversation with Demetri. "Don't grieve over what you cannot control," she offered in advice.

I turned to watch as Marcus blurred to his feet and gazed down at her in shock. He was astounded at her words…so similar to ones spoken to him in the past. The tone and cadence with which she did so was also eerily familiar, and it shook him. "What…what did you say to me?"

Tanya actually looked embarrassed by his attention for a moment, but then she squared her shoulders off, tossing her hair back in challenge. This was the more aggressive, self-assured succubus we knew. "His actions brought this upon him, not you," she defended, putting her hands on her hips in a decisive manner. Her golden eyes glittered with righteousness; she was adamant in her position.

He gasped at her. "Who are you?" he forced out gruffly, her mannerisms causing him both pain and pleasure. It was a notion he couldn't decipher.

He didn't even remember her from our last confrontation…the fog that Corin and Chelsea had kept him in making us all seem but dim figures in his memories. He'd been there when Aro brought Sasha to the castle, determined to assess if she had indeed created an immortal child. But when Tanya and her sisters had been brought in for questioning, Marcus, having been sent on a mission for Aro, hadn't been present. Of us all, Carlisle, Eleazar, and me, to a lesser degree because of my visit there after believing Bella dead, were the individuals, still living, that he remembered the clearest. He hadn't even realized the crippling despair no longer enslaved him. It was on him to figure out why; I would just sit back with the rest and watch the fireworks.

Turning back to the Volturi guard, I smiled briefly at Demetri before replying to his unspoken doubts about Marcus' capacity to lead. "I think you might be pleasantly surprised."

He and the others startled at the reminder that I really could read their minds. They'd grown used to Aro and his acquisition through touch, but it made it even more disconcerting to know that I could do so without that process. In fact, they found it much more intrusive, which it was.

"I don't mean to steal your thoughts, but I try to be respectful. Please stay, at least until we can determine where we go from here. My family and I would consider it a privilege."

Demetri nodded for them, willing to at least give our invitation an initial try. Having done my duty, I turned back to the scene behind me. Marcus still stood over Aro, reality settling in about what he'd done even over the unexplainable bond he had with the woman in front of him. There was no sense of guilt, but there was certainly disquiet. Forcing himself to tear his eyes from Tanya, he turned to survey the carnage of the field around us. Seeing the wolves mixing around their fallen comrades and Carlisle in their midst, his remembrance of the responsibility of leadership reemerged, and he started to walk forward toward them, stopping when his eyes landed on Stefan and Vladimir.

He gazed for a moment before acknowledging them with a nod. "Is there peace between us, a forgiveness of the offenses we have inflicted upon one another?"

This was a difficult question. Stefan and Vladimir had come intent on revenge, and Marcus had been one of their main persecutors. However, they were aware now that he'd been as much a victim as they'd been. And…their revenge had been served. The black-suited Romanians glanced at each other for a moment before returning their eyes to Marcus.

"Your offer…" Vladimir whispered.

"…is one we can certainly entertain," Stefan finished.

It wasn't entirely over. I was certain that there would be more words, but for now the Romanians were willing, in light of the day's events and the need to focus on the aftermath of the fights, to concede.

My thoughts shifted, focusing on my father's memories of how elegant Marcus, Aro, and Caius were, believing the millennia of their existence had refined them in some way. Certainly, they had cleverly set themselves up as the ruling family and had promulgated and enforced laws to maintain order and their position of power. But as Marcus began to glide forward, I realized it was an inherent sense of power that gave them the allure. Marcus, before Didyme's loss, had been a vigorous leader, and relieved from the bonds and grief, he was once again. It almost made me feel irreverent when I grinned hearing his thoughts, just before he stopped to look back. He'd only traveled a few feet.

"Accompany me," he said decisively to Tanya. His voice was directive, and even I felt the magnetic pull to obey him.

"Excuse me?" she snorted elegantly at him in disbelief. She wasn't one to be commanded, her hands going back to her hips again.

I would say that Marcus had a lot to learn about Tanya…but he really didn't. When he smiled at her, I heard those around us, particularly the Volturi guards behind me, gasp at the unprecedented sight. He'd been "dead" for as long as any of these beings could remember.

"Ah…" Marcus murmured, rubbing his chin much like my father had when he'd taunted Aro. He grinned subtly, like a youthful boy being called to task. Then he took a different tack. "Would you honor me with your presence?" he asked softly, waving his hand toward where my father remained. Puzzled by it all, he wasn't willing to allow her away from him just yet.

Tanya almost said "_No"_ just to be petulant, but stopped just in time to decide there was no harm. She wanted to get back to where my mother and sister still remained on the ground. Carmen knelt beside them, holding their hands as Carlisle hovered uselessly over Collin. Without a word, she moved to his side and they began to make their way across the field. Their thoughts were a mesh of confusion and complacency…Tanya's sideways glances as prevalent as Marcus'.

"Edward!" Bella hissed, wanting me to spill.

"Bella, in all your reading, did you ever have the pleasure of reading Rabindranath Tagore's poetry?" I murmured only loud enough for her to hear and the Volturi guard around us to overhear.

Her look was enough to tell me, but I saw when Demetri's, Heidi's, and Felix's minds snapped into understanding. I didn't even have a word to describe their astonishment. Aro's libraries were infamous for the breadth of knowledge contained within. Everyone of the Guard had had opportunity to sample the literature at points in their long tenures. I was willing to believe there wasn't a classical tome in existence that Aro hadn't possessed, so the Guard were very aware of the man's compositions.

"For lack of better terms, he was a Bengalian poet whose father was a religious leader. Many of his poems were so lyrical that they were set to music, which is how I was introduced to him. His words often challenged those around him to see beyond the structure of this physical world and into the next, the spiritual." I nodded toward Marcus and Tanya before quoting the poet. "I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times, in life after life, in age after age forever."

Her eyes widened in understanding.

I gave my interpretation. "When loves goes missing…when our other half dies…it leaves a hole that nothing else, no one else, no behavior or crutch can fill. It is why when we lose our mates, we can't go on because we can't find it, can't fill it, can't heal it, no matter how many humans or vampires we use trying."

My father stood quickly as they approached, his golden eyes warming from the grief that was pervasive over Collin's status. His eyes jerked to Marcus and Tanya as they approached him, again oblivious to the interest of every immortal on the field. The smile that graced my father's face was nothing less than miraculous, and he strode forward to clasp Marcus in an embrace. They two had been friends.

"You knew!" Bella exclaimed, most likely remembering my very over-protective behavior.

"No…not exactly." She growled at me adorably, and I heard both Felix's and Demetri's surprise at her behavior. We were much more accepting than the Volturi had been. "Okay…maybe I suspected a little. While I was…detained…" I chose my words carefully because the two men now standing behind me had been a part of that "detainment" under Aro's orders and influence. "I heard Marcus' memories of his wife, and it occurred to me how much she and Tanya were alike…both leaders…charismatic…loyal… beautiful. And I've never understood Tanya's feelings and thoughts of having a "hole" in her heart. It was so different from my experience. My heart was frozen…unfeeling until I met you. It was if Tanya had "lost" something, not that she was waiting to find it. The thousands of men, both vampire and human, she's been with...it just seemed that she was trying to replace someone."

I hadn't really known until I'd felt the pull from Marcus after he'd been released from Corin's and Chelsea's control, his recognition of a bond with someone on our side. The monster…I smiled at remembering that part of me in that way…had known better than I, his attention to the most fundamental of needs: mate, food, sex. I tended to overanalyze a little.

Smirking at my own sarcastic and secret joke, I pulled Bella forward and with the Volturi Guards at my back, we walked forward to join our family and friends. Although I would like to rejoice, it would have been a sacrilege to do so. All was not well. I grieved hearing Collin's heartbeat slowing. His cries filled the air, breaking my sense of peace, and I met Jacob's lupine eyes as he threw his head back, the others joining, as their combined voices rent the air in a fitting farewell.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts - was it what you expected?<strong>

**The betas already have the last chapters in their hands. So sad, another story coming to an end. I am, however, excited to go over and finish off my other Post Breaking Dawn story, Full Moon Rising.**

**My many thanks to Nikki, who signed on for the arduous task of pre-reading this for me. Her thoughts for clarifications, additions, and subtractions (smile) are brilliant. HA! My many thanks, madam!**

**And to Cold One Paul. He puts so much of himself into each of these chapters. I can't tell you how helpful it is to have a man's input…when you are writing a man's POV! ;)** **I say this every week, but I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. Without your guidance, this story would not be half as good. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! Your input, rewording, and care are what makes it what it is!**

**To crmcneill, thanks for letting me have a hand in the story you envisioned so long ago.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. Full credit to Mrs. Meyers for the lines from Midnight Sun that I've utilized in this chapter.**

**I absolutely had the best time at the movie (both times I've seen it so far)! Having seen what happened in the movie, I'm glad I posted my battle scene last week. HA! **

**My thanks for all the reviews and new readers for this story. I have so enjoyed reading your responses. I'm sorry for not responding, but I was writing like crazy to get the chapters done – with rewrites and edits. The final chapter is with the beta. I can promise you that posting it will be a bittersweet experience, and I'll definitely be writing back to each of you for that. I'm working hard on my other Post Breaking Dawn story now, attempting to get it completed. **

**Hope you enjoy this one and Happy Thanksgiving to all those within the states! I'm thankful for my husband, seven kids, the friends I've made in life and through this fandom, and God (and his infinite mercy). Let me know in a review what you're thankful for!**

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><p><em>Although I would like to rejoice, it would have been a sacrilege to do so. All was not well. I grieved hearing Collin's heartbeat slowing. His cries filled the air, breaking my sense of peace, and I met Jacob's lupine eyes as he threw his head back, the others joining, as their combined voices rent the air in a fitting farewell.<em>

"Edward, would you help me?" Carlisle asked when our group approached. "I'd like to pick him up…"

What Carlisle didn't say out loud is that it would put less pressure on Colin's heart. We couldn't save him, but we could at least keep him from feeling as if he was going to suffocate, make his death as peaceful as possible. Carlisle didn't need my help, but he knew that I would want to be there in the end. I'd wanted to follow him into medical practice at various times, but I'd felt that I had lacked the level of his control, even more so now. Perhaps in another one hundred years. I shook my head briefly at the thought. The dichotomy of the situation didn't escape me - I had the possibility of a true forever with Bella because of this day, but at the real expense of the boy I knelt to help hold.

Collin was even hotter than I'd grown accustomed to with Jacob and Nessie…the venom burning him internally, reacting against his body's failing efforts to defeat it, as it did us. He might have had a chance had he just been bitten or if he'd just been injured, but the two together were a lethal combination.

Memories flashed through his mind as the end neared. His thoughts mixed in a collage of images, all precious and important to him. I wanted to howl as the wolves had as, one by one, those individuals special to him were revisited and cherished moments remembered. His family, his friends, his pack mates…his leader. I saw his hero worship of Sam and there was little I could do, other than let the Alpha know.

I spoke gently to the wolf, relaying Collin's thoughts. "Sam, he's thinking of when you came to see him, when his mother called because he was sick. He was amazed you came, having seen you with the others. You are his hero," I said to the huge black wolf at my side.

Sam, ignoring the fact he would be naked, transformed back into human to kneel beside the dying boy.

He grabbed Collin's hand, holding it. "No, you are mine. Collin, I promise to take care of your mother. We all will."

The boy whimpered as Sam grasped his hand firmly.

It had been a concern of his, but he knew that Sam's word was trustworthy. Somehow, the promise made it through the pain and agony, helping Collin settle down and accept his impending death. Perhaps that promise was exactly what he'd been holding on for, because he seemed to slip farther away almost immediately. Those around us listened to his faint heartbeat...heard it stutter…and then stop a moment later. I was more intrigued with the peace he found in the end, the feeling of warmth and acceptance, of ultimate love, and serenity as it wrapped around him. I swear it was as if he breathed a sigh of relief as his last. Sam bowed his head as the wolves around him picked up the song they'd begun earlier.

Even the vampires around us, who were quickly disposing of the parts of the Volturi into the raging fires, ceased movement, listening to the eerie sound of the wolves echoing out over the land and through the thick woods around us. As if the forest felt obliged to grieve along with them, I heard distant wild wolves pick up the mournful sound as it reached them and the song echoed in various timbres for miles and miles. Birds took to the air in confusion, their shrill calls adding to the harmony. And over it all, a faint rainbow glistened in the sky, compliments of the downpour Benjamin had provided and the bright sun…or perhaps as just a gift of biblical proportions…reassuring us that this type of destruction would never be revisited again. Either way, the moment was poetic…the air full of sorrow, love, and regret.

Had there ever been a more poignant goodbye? If so, I'd never been privileged enough to witness it.

"We'll take him home," Sam finally announced quietly from where he knelt beside Collin, shaking himself momentarily free of the grief, his black eyes glittering with unshed tears.

"Sam, we would like to come and pay our respects," Carlisle said just as quietly. "Maybe not at the ceremony; I could understand that your elders might not want that to happen. However, perhaps afterward?"

Sam glanced up, catching my father's eyes. Seeing the sincerity in them, he nodded. A series of yelps coming from the woods heralded the arrival of Joshua and David. They'd been able to stop the vampire that had been sent to infect the reservation.

"They were able to destroy the errant guardsman without the vial being opened," I informed Sam. The wolves' thoughts indicated that they had burned both the body and the vial in a deep pit that they dug with their claws, rendering the agent safe.

"What vial?" Carlisle asked at the same time as Sam nodded his head, accepting what I was telling him. I'd explain to my father later. I was already imagining the horror in his mind when he realized Aro's plan.

"Sam, may I carry him home?" I asked.

His gaze snapped to me then. He didn't have to be my Alpha or a mind reader to know my thoughts. Collin had died in defense of my family; it was my burden to return him home. Yes, they were his pack, but he'd died for us. It was important to me to show my respect in this.

"You'll need to carry Paul," I reasoned, knowing that my father had done all he could for Jacob's brother-in-law. There was hope he would make it, his heart beating strongly as I could literally hear his bones knitting back together.

"I'll come by tonight and check on him, with your permission of course," Carlisle added.

"We'll be expecting you," Sam replied, gracefully rising to his feet to walk over to the unconscious, healing Paul.

~DS~

The return trip was much quieter, just Bella and I. She and Nessie had insisted on going with us to the reservation, but then our daughter had begged to stay with Charlie for the night. Having seen Bella's father's expression, as we moved into the community like wraiths, there had been no way I could take her away from him. Life and death experiences were bad enough. Life and death experiences involving supernatural forces…supernatural forces you hadn't been aware of before…were another. Charlie needed to reassure himself that the world was back to normal, or as normal as possible. Considering the chaos I expected to face back home, I did not object to Nessie's desires, and Bella had followed my direction. Jake had remained with her and the packs. When we'd left, they'd already been planning Collin's memorial.

Bella remained silent until we reached the former treaty line. I was already claiming it as former, considering what we'd been through together. Billy's silent acknowledgement of me, as I'd placed Collin's still body at his feet and kneeled had given me even more hope. That I'd chosen to face the potential wrath of the elders in bringing home one of the pack dead had impressed him. I hadn't thought of it in that way, just wanting to show my respect, but Billy had seen it differently. To him, it was proof that I was willing to accept responsibility, as I'd promised.

"What happens now?" she asked, reaching over to take my hand in hers.

I assumed she was talking about in our world, but I took the moment to address a situation important to me. "I want to take a shower. Jacob's smell is killing me." I grunted and wrinkled my nose before pinching the bridge of my nose. I felt it a miracle that I elicited a soft chuckle with my humor; the day had been hell, so I'd claim the victory.

"We can stop by the cottage," she offered.

"God, that sounds amazing," I admitted.

She glanced over at me and smiled, and then swinging our arms between us, she shuddered. "I didn't know what to think when you seized Jake's clothes and rolled in the dirt."

"It was the best I could think of at the moment. Aro still believed that I was unbalanced, and his miscalculation was an advantage. It was one of the few we had." I stopped and pulled her around to face me. Cradling her face with my hands, I smoothed my thumbs over her cheekbones before speaking again. "He had many more plans, many layers of strategies, Bella. The wave against you was the first. Then, they were going to attempt to capture Renesmee, knowing that we would all surrender if they were successful. If that didn't work, or his plan to have the wolves desert us didn't come to fruition, he and Caius were going to focus on the packs. They'd trained the guard specifically to take out as many of the wolves as they could. My father was another …Aro planned to specifically target him. So many more things…" I shuddered at some of their plans "…I didn't have time to explain."

"I don't know what I expected, maybe that the battle would go on for hours," she admitted, her eyes flowing over my face. "We practiced for hours and hours and hours." She actually huffed, complaining about Jasper's brutally rigorous and constant practice schedules.

Smirking, I shook my head. The combat training had been necessary to get us all as ready as possible to effectively fight the Volturi soldiers. And it had worked.

"Even the skirmishes in the Southern wars Jasper fought in for Maria didn't last long. Our speed generally makes for quick resolutions. But in this case, Aro's ego was his downfall. Carlisle's challenge of him tipped the scales. In fact, it nearly drove him mad." I frowned slightly at the thought.

I planned to ask Carlisle about that…just why his challenge of Aro was so potent. I suspected there was history between them, more even than I'd gotten through their thoughts during the fight, that made it so, and I wondered why Carlisle had never mentioned it. It was their history, and now one that didn't particularly have much sway over our life, so my father just might decide to hold those memories to himself. If so, I would have to respect his decision, but I was curious. But first things first. Holding the ripped and stinking shirt from me by my fingertips, I admitted, "Now, however, I do believe I may become deranged if I have to stay in these much longer."

Her head turned toward our home and smiled in anticipation. "Perhaps, we'll get lucky enough to find a mountain lion or two on the way."

A growl of agreement tore out of my chest. My throat burned at just the thought, and she giggled at my reaction.

"C'mon, Edward…let's go. A meal, a shower, and maybe shower sex before we go face all those vampires at the house." She waggled her eyebrows at me in invitation. "What do you say?" she asked cheekily.

As if I even had to answer. It was good to hear her freely flowing laughter when I picked her up, throwing her over my shoulder to run toward the delights she'd promised.

~DS~

Some of our friends had already left, Hua, back to Southeast Asia, and Olufemi, bound for his home in Africa. Pelayo and Ildaria had ventured on to Spain, content to know that Eleazar would represent their interests. Felix, Demetri, and Heidi remained, but Santiago and the others from the guard were on the way to the castle in Volterra on Marcus' orders. They were to protect the interests, priceless artifacts, and financial records held within the walls. Peter and Charlotte, as well as the Amazon coven, the Irish one, Amun's group, the Denali's and the Romanians remained. I was also surprised to see Charles, Makenna, and Allistair. I'd honestly assumed that they might leave as well. Not that they'd given me any reason to not trust them, but because Allistair had a history of being almost pathologically antisocial, and the other two had little to no connection with us…other than the loyalty they'd given this day. They were nomads, and given to wander where the whim took them. Fred stood solidly by Maggie, their bond already solidified.

My father smiled as he saw me come into the house, and I captured Marcus' attention as well. He'd never seen me at my finest. Tanya was only a few feet from him, her mind a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. She snarled though when she caught sight of me, and I released Bella's hand, knowing that I was about to be faced with a seriously pissed off female.

For once, when Tanya crooked her finger at me, I didn't fight her direction to follow. I growled internally at the fact that I'd just stepped into the house, and that possibly this conversation could wait, but I knew better. So I followed her back off the back porch and into the yard. Marcus grew nervous without her near him, ghosting over to the window to watch us, and I grinned briefly from behind Tanya's back as we stepped down into the yard when Bella approached him.

I listened with one part of my mind to their conversation as I moved around slowly to face Tanya. "I don't think we have ever been officially introduced," Bella said, offering her hand to shake. He surprised her, gathering her hand gallantly and bending down to place a kiss on her knuckles. And she thought I'd been old fashioned, I scoffed.

When he rose from his elegant bow, he said, "I remember you now, Isabella. You impressed…" He stopped for a moment before continuing. He might be still furious at what Aro had been and done, but he wasn't going to ignore the leader's previous existence. "You impressed Aro, which I must say wasn't easy to do." His mind flickered to that day, two years ago when he observed me and a very human Bella, followed by Alice, walk unwillingly into the tower's throne room, and his hidden, muted surprise at seeing the extremely strong bond between the two of us, and the relationship of us with Alice.

His focus might be divided between us, but he hadn't missed a moment of the interaction between Tanya and me. He growled subtly when she reached up and slapped the palm of her hand to my chest - hard. He didn't like her touching me, but more importantly, he was intrigued by her feistiness…it stirred embers of emotion he'd thought long dead.

"Don't worry," Bella explained "…Edward and Tanya have a unique relationship."

Unique indeed, I thought as Tanya glared at me.

"Shall you share exactly what you were thinking, now?" she said with fire, but then her bravado crumbled, uncharacteristic shyness emerging instead. She stepped closer to me and looked up at me, allowing her true feelings, her confusion at the indefinable pull to Marcus to break through. "Edward, what's going on?" I sighed very gently as I smiled and drew her in to my chest. Tanya began shaking a little at the unfamiliar feelings she had coursing through her mind.

"Shh…it's going to be okay," I murmured, holding her.

Looking up to the window where our mates watched, I let Tanya shudder as she attempted to come to grips with her feelings. Bella winked at me in support while Marcus' dark eyes monitored my every move. That they weren't red told me that I would be well advised to move carefully and with due consideration. He was, at this moment in time, the most powerful ruler of our world, and no matter what happened this day, he would always be so. Our kind would always acknowledge his wisdom and sage advice as our most trusted and valuable asset, no matter the plans I'd caught in his mind as Bella and I approached the house.

Finally when Tanya seemed to gain control, I asked her, "What are you feeling?"

"Whole." She said it as if the word scared her immensely. It must have, because she trembled again like a frightened child, and Tanya was anything but.

"Imagine that," I chuckled, commenting on her one word. One word that did, against all odd, encapsulate it all.

"Stop!" she growled, smacking me in the chest again. Then she asked the same question Bella had. "Did you know all along?"

"Does it matter?" I countered.

She growled again, a little louder. "I don't understand," she finally admitted.

Stepping back, I took her face in my hands. I wanted to grin when I heard the distinctly masculine growl coming from inside the house. That he was astounded at the reaction coming from him didn't help my control either. I reminded myself again that it wouldn't do for me to been seen as being irreverent toward Marcus. Tanya would most likely tear me to pieces, even though she hadn't acknowledged her new-found bond to him in that way yet.

"I didn't either," I said, responding to her confusion before I paused for a moment. "Do you remember what you told me…when I ran to Alaska?"

"You mean when I tried to convince you to finally give me a chance?" Her mind raced, trying to figure out exactly what I was referring to, remembering all the times she'd actively pursued me.

Marcus growled again, her words giving him a hint as to that unique relationship between us, but Bella was quick to begin explaining to him the circumstances of our first meeting. Tanya glanced nervously up toward the house as my wife filled in the details. I smirked as I realized Tanya would have some explaining to do, first about her interest in me that I had not reciprocated, and second, her long history as a succubus. Emmett was trying hard not to burst out laughing, his acknowledgment of the fallacy, aware that being irreverent to Marcus was a bad idea, a first for him.

I shook my head very slightly in response, and went back to Tanya's question of me. "No, when you asked if I was going back to Carlisle. You told me that you thought I would go back…home. You said, and I quote, '_No matter what it is…or who it is…that is haunting you. You'll face it head on. You're the type_.'"

Her face was stunned, her memories going over our moments together in the snow in great detail. I spoke softly then. "Tanya, I'd already found my home, but I ran from it, not knowing what it was. I was afraid of this silly human girl with whom I had this inexplicable, and yet overwhelmingly strong pull towards. But I really did know…deep down…" I tapped her cheek with my finger to emphasize my next words "…just like you do. So I'll give you your words back. No matter who it was that haunted you…you'll weather the trials you'll face with him head on. You're the type." She smiled uncertainly. "Now, go be the leader that you are, were born to be, have always been…in this life time and the last."

She gasped a little, shocked at my implication. A similar gasp came from Marcus and his racing thoughts filled my mind with a million considerations and questions – it was as if the puzzle pieces were finally fitting together…the picture forming in front of him and the wounds so long raw and aching healing almost instantly. As astounded as he, she whispered, "Edward! You can't mean…"

Turning her toward the house and giving her a motivating push, I murmured, "Oh, but I do."

I purred in satisfaction seeing her stumble up the stairs, overwhelmed with the sense of being whole…and of the man that had facilitated that miracle. Wisps of emotions, fragmented pieces of conversations long ago held, the ghosts of caresses tantalized her, called to her, reminded her of that which had been forgotten, lost, and found again.

~DS~

"Our world has grown accustomed to being led by a conclave of leaders; any other proposal carries inherent risks. Aro's evolution is a direct example of the perils of not maintaining such a quorum. Caius allowed him the leverage to do as he willed; I was no better..."

"You were being held prisoner," Tanya interrupted his words with heat, and then appeared almost embarrassed at her interjection.

Marcus smiled briefly and inclined his head in acknowledgment at her defense of him. They were both gingerly managing this new world they'd been thrown in - both in still diminishing denial of what they'd been given. But they were barely containing themselves…the need to be alone together almost overpowering their sense of duty to be here. I wondered if I would be privileged enough to see even a portion of the explosion I expected would happen between them when they finally gave into the base desires that swirled within them. Alice's visions of how Jasper was going to deal with those emotions even caused me to squirm and look toward Bella. Her eyes turned dark from across the room, reading my desire with expertise.

"Regardless," Marcus replied with a shrug, totally oblivious to just how Jasper and I were being tortured. "It is another argument as to why no one leader should be given sovereign power. Our world needs strong and balanced leadership."

"What is your proposal then, Marcus?" Amun asked.

I knew what was coming, having seen the plan outlined in his thoughts earlier. "Seven leaders, to provide a range of interests and skills." He turned to look at my father. There was no doubt that he expected Carlisle to be one of those leaders.

Although my father had clearly decided to take responsibility for his actions in fomenting this rebellion, this new order, it still didn't mean that he was entirely happy about it. As if Marcus could read his mind, the ancient one offered at least a small conciliatory option.

"Carlisle, with the modern human technology available, you would not have to live in Volterra full-time. We can make one of our planes or other means of transportation available to each of the seven leaders. Actually, no one would have to remain in Italy, other than myself and…" Marcus stopped uncertainly, his eyes straying to Tanya.

My father nodded in acceptance. He'd known what his challenge of Aro would mean, but to have the opportunity to at least retain a portion of his humanity was an unexpected gift. He valued highly above all else his vegetarian lifestyle. One he was willing to embrace with open arms.

After receiving an affirming nod from Tanya, who was seated in a chair near the glass wall of the room, Marcus looked over to the Romanians. His face bore a measure of regret and resolve; his thoughts considering how to begin making amends. After a moment Marcus spoke very quietly and formally. "Stefan and Vladimir. So much was taken from you in the millennium and a half of our dispute over the death of my wife. We've both lost much in this. Now that the truth is known, I wish to put our enmity aside and seek your counsel in this new order. Your voices of wisdom would be most appreciated. I…" he stopped to make sure that both saw his sincerity "…would particularly gain from your acceptance. There is much that we can learn from one another."

I'd known that Marcus was considering this. What I didn't know is what the Romanians would say. They'd existed solely on rage and the need to avenge their mates for over a millennium. Now that their motivation for surviving was gone…I didn't know whether they would accept.

The two ancients glanced at each other for moments; everyone else remained absolutely still. "For now…"Stefan murmured for the pair. Their thoughts indicated that they weren't committed for the long term, having already considered requesting that they be ended and thus complete their long quest for vengeance. And yet, they recognized the importance of maintaining stability in the vampire world. They would assent to working to establish a ruling council before washing their hands of their responsibilities and possibly this life.

Vladimir and Stefan both looked to me, trying hard to hide their next thoughts from me, but I snarled at them, pulling my lips back from my teeth in a snarl, hearing them anyway. The vampires around us startled in reaction to the deep feral sounds emanating out of me. Looking to me in concern, several wondered if I was about to "lose it" again.

I wasn't as concerned about their thoughts as I was Vladimir's and Stefan's. There was no way in hell I would contemplate what they were considering. Even though they believed it, no time away from responsibility - to enjoy my wife and child - would induce me into shouldering any sort of leadership position. I would be there to support my father and the other leaders, I would serve as their spy if needed, but I was the worst possible candidate for what they had in mind…no matter what amount of "adjustment time" they thought to give me. I'd stand with Jasper, who I knew they were going to ask to serve as the military leader, and Demetri, Felix, and Heidi…Emmett and my sisters and wife. We'd become the new Volturi Guard, but I would leave the leadership to others. I was still a newly mated vampire and father, and I planned to enjoy those roles and the attendant benefits, particularly now that I didn't have to worry about someone coming after us.

"Siobhan…would you stand with us?" Marcus asked, turning to the leader of the Irish coven.

She was the perfect choice. I knew that Marcus had already approached Eleazar about his choice, unwilling to allow Eleazar to think that his past services hadn't been appreciated or considered. But they'd both agreed that, now that Tanya would be with the Volturi permanently, it was crucial for Eleazar to take over the leadership within the Denali coven. Siobhan may have been Marcus' choice, but she was the one that had already crossed the minds of the immortals present. The large Irish woman was a born leader like Tanya, and it would be good to have both, as women, be active participants in our leadership…unlike Sulpicia and Athenodora.

Siobhan turned to Liam as if in question, unwilling to make such a decision without the input of her mate. His answer came as he moved to her and took her hand, squeezing it in support. "Yes," she answered Marcus quickly and decisively, but with never taking her eyes from Liam.

I might have been reluctant…well more than reluctant…to take on any leadership responsibilities, but it didn't mean that I wasn't interested in how it would be done. Pulling Bella to me, I took a seat with her in my lap so that I could twirl her hair around my fingers as I listened. Jasper did the same to Alice. Only Emmett and Rosalie were missing, and that because they were upstairs watching over the two sleeping human girls. She knew they'd have to be returned to their parents…Felix being able to exactly show where they'd been kidnapped from…but she was determined to enjoy them for the time being. Rosalie's silent heart ached, and if she did not have Nessie to dote on, the presence of such beauties would have been torture. But for now, she just wanted to pamper them in the limited time she had.

The conversation between the seven new leaders of our world was actually intriguing…the politics of how they would monitor the immortals scattered across the planet, how decisions would be made, the division of responsibilities, the review of our unwritten laws, and what each would bring to the new governing council. It was assumed that Carlisle would offer the services of all my siblings, wife, and I to the Volturi Guard. I found it telling that Marcus, in his request, didn't distinguish between the talented ones among us from the untalented. He desired Emmett for his strength and Rosalie for her tenacity as much as he wanted Jasper, Alice, Bella, and I. That, along with, the way he kept looking at Tanya made me like him even more.

His thoughts were clear; he was ready to establish the new order as expeditiously as possible so that he could entice Tanya away from us and investigate the connection between them. He'd heard everything that I'd said to her, and he was struggling with this notion of Didyme's soul being reincarnated in Tanya…but he couldn't explain the bond between them in any other way. Desire, love, and longing mixed within him, making him almost euphoric. Jasper was still flying high on the emotions pouring out of the Volturi leader and our cousin. I wasn't much better.

Soon, though, the talk turned to the day to day expectations, which was something that didn't interest me, Bella, or the others. We'd be told what we needed, when it was needed. Esme, giving Carlisle a quick kiss…that promised so much more…wandered up the stairs to relieve Rosalie and Emmett. My wife, siblings, and I walked out onto the back porch, with the Volturi Guard following. I suspected that it was habit for them, to withdraw when talks of mundane affairs were required, and their thoughts didn't convince me any differently.

"Edward…" Demetri started as he trailed behind me into the yard, ready to address something I knew they had on their minds. The lean tracker, his back stiff, glanced to Felix and Heidi before continuing. "I wish to personally apologize for my hand in what occurred in Volterra." He felt guilty his mind touching on the indignities visited upon me this past year, wondering why he hadn't attempted to break out of Aro's compulsions before…away from the loyalty that had been inflicted upon them.

"As do I," Heidi added.

Felix was the quieter of the three, but I grinned when I heard what he was about to admit. "I have to apologize for not only that, but trying to steal Isabella from you," he grinned in admittance. "I had dibs on her when I first saw her in Volterra…"

Bella broke out in laughter, stepping over to pat the giant's arm. "It's okay, Felix. You're the only one that wanted me other than Edward."

I growled at her insolence, fire racing along my skin as I thought of how wrong she was. Didn't matter, she was mine and no one else's. And since Nessie was staying in La Push for the night, I was going to show her just how I felt about that as soon as we left here. Bella needed to stop questioning my thoughts about her worth, and I was certain my eyes were dark with my frustration at her about it…well…and my lascivious plans. Seeing myself through the others, I realized that Felix took a step back from Bella thinking that I was upset about her touching him. He, too, had seen how I acted in the fight…when I'd let go, and he didn't want to experience that reaction. Jasper sent a wave of calm my way, and I laughed out loud at him.

"Jasper, you can leave off with the mood control. I'm not mad at them. I'm growling at Bella. She and I need to talk about this habit she has of doubting my ability to know what others are thinking."

The three guard members were astounded when Bella threw her hands to her hips and mocked me. "Blah…blah…blah…" she teased, rolling her eyes at me at the same time.

When I arched my eyebrow at her, she finally realized she was treading thin ice. "Bella…" I warned, making her name a long drawn out caress, and I almost chuckled when I saw her shiver.

Turning back to Demetri, Heidi, and Felix, I waved my hand at them in dismissal of their concerns. "We are in a new day; forgiveness of past mistakes is something our family knows all too well. Isn't that right, Love?" I said is a soft voice, purposely being seductive.

She narrowed her eyes at me in warning before turning to our new acquaintances with a perfectly innocent and beleaguered expression. "You'll learn that Edward still has a problem getting himself under control at times. Really, he can't help himself; we just have to work with him."

It was a pretty good jab…as jabs went. I shrugged and chuckled at her tartness. Demetri and Felix didn't quite know what to think about us, but Heidi grinned in appreciation. Reading her thoughts, I could tell that the "_fisher_" was as close to being a female equivalent of Emmett as I'd ever encountered. It made me wonder just what the future had in store for us. Watching the way my siblings included the three quickly into our unique sense of family, I knew that life for the Cullens had expanded yet again.

Later, as I watched the family circulate among Marcus, Demetri, Felix, and Heidi, I examined the four vampires' minds, allowing myself to sift through their streams of consciousness. They were unaware of my interest. Having operated under the auspices of a dictatorship thinly disguised as a triumvirate, to see us act almost human was quite disconcerting to them. They felt it would take time to acquire the veneer of civility - heretofore considered quite unnecessary - needed to blend in seamlessly with both my family and ordinary humans. I wouldn't say that they totally relaxed, but our manner won them over in the end. Kissing Bella's cheek, I nodded to Marcus just as he made the decision to face the issue of his connection to Tanya head on.

"Would you grant me the privilege of taking a walk with me?" he asked the blonde vampire softly in an old world manner. "Just out to the river. We will still be properly supervised," he added, in great respect.

I hissed at how she was about to respond, capturing Tanya's attention and narrowing my eyes at her in warning.

"_Mind your own damn business, Edward,"_ she sent me silently as she walked before him toward the door.

But I'd accomplished my desire, which was to keep her from being too sarcastic and blunt. Tanya had never worried about being circumspect, but she needed to be a little more deferential to Marcus' chivalrous ways.

That Emmett raced to the window to watch them didn't surprise me. Thankfully, our mother took over chastising him, but I saw even Felix's lips quirk. He couldn't take it, moving over beside my brother. They appeared as twin gargantuan beasts watching over a fortress, so it was too bad that they were both just busybodies watching the man that was for all intents and purposes our leader and the woman he'd been waiting for over a thousand years for. My mother gave up, pushing her way between them. She was as much a romantic as any…more so…because she'd never given up on me. I thought it funny that Felix deferred to her as we all did.

We could all hear every fumbled word between Marcus and Tanya, the awkward silences, and the small questions that were the hallmarks of a new relationship. But what Jasper and I knew that no one else could was the incredible lure between them…a pull they were both desperately attempting to fight. Marcus because he felt it would be disrespectful to grab her and kiss her senseless as the passion within him demanded, Tanya because she wanted to be different with him, to make it more than just sex. Because this would be making love…

Jasper crooked his eyebrow at me and said, "Ten bucks." Silently he added, _"That they don't make it more than ten minutes."_

I chuckled and shook my head at his bet. "Ten, that in less than…" I looked at the watch I wore "…five, they'll disappear."

"No way!" Emmett snarled from across the room.

Alice grinned, in her omnipotence, and ruined my chance to win the money off my brother. "5…4…"

The rest of the family blurred to the window before she even made it to "3."

Felix's face lit in awe when Marcus finally lost the battle with the need inside and grabbed Tanya's arms, pulling her to him. The kiss was one that should've set the forest on fire as millennia of denied sexual instincts, love, and outright lust poured through him. Jasper gave up, grabbing Alice and blurring up the stairs much to Demetri's and Heidi's confused amusement.

"Sorry, you'll get used to them. Alice and Jasper spend more time in their bedroom that you can even imagine," Rose said, ratting them out.

But it was only a momentary distraction as we watched Tanya collapse bonelessly against Marcus, finding barely enough strength to reach up and tangle her fingers in his long hair.

"Move away from the window and give them some privacy!" Carlisle's amused but serious command had us scattering…even Felix, Demetri, and Heidi.

~DS~

"Where did Tanya and Marcus disappear to?" Bella asked me softly as we made our way back to the cottage.

"To be honest, I don't know," I chuckled. "His only thought was to get away from us."

"Tanya knows where the boundary line is, right?"

"Yeah…she'll keep them out of danger."

"Well, we'll just look for the forest fire," my wife joked, snickering at the passion we'd witnessed between them. "I know how you were, and you'd only been without for a hundred years. Imagine poor Marcus…BAM!" she said, emphasizing the word with sound effects.

I squeezed her hand in companionship, thinking I was going to have a little of those fireworks later. Our cottage wasn't far, and we did have it all to ourselves this night. Bella moved closer to me, and I released her hand to put my arm around her shoulder.

"This is for real? We're alive, and the Volturi are gone. We don't have to worry about them coming back after us…Renesmee can grow up without danger, and she and Jake can…"

I interrupted her with growling, to which she gave me a hip bump much like Jacob had done to her earlier in the day…when we'd thought we were heading to destruction.

"Where Renesmee can grow to maturity, be with Jake and have a life," she said with emphasis, refusing to back down. "We have forever, Edward. Just like you promised!" She spun around in a circle, her hands out to her side like a jubilant child. Her golden eyes twinkled with happiness when she finally stopped and looked to me. Love radiated out of her.

"It would seem," I murmured in good humor. It was the forever I'd always wanted…this joy in her eyes and the ability to continue adding to it.

She grinned before her face turned more thoughtful. "But there is something you still need to do," she said softly, brushing her fingertips along my cheekbones.

Yes, there was something I definitely needed to do. For we would continue to live in this world. We would continue on as part of the leadership now, making new friends, watching our daughter grow and marry. We would most likely see those grandchildren that Alice had seen in her visions, and we would be around to see their grandchildren. I might have fulfilled a promise to Bella…probably the most important promise I'd ever made. But, there was another one that I also had to fufill, because if I didn't, I wasn't the man I'd been called to be or the man that Bella loved.

Flashes of another dark headed, dark eyed woman flashed through my mind…a woman that had offered her blood to me, hoping that in her death she might give me life.

_"Are you ready?" I asked. I could tell from her sniffling that she was crying._

_Beth responded with a loud sniff and a deep breath of air. "Are you sure it's not going to hurt?"_

_"I promise. Once you say the words "I'm ready," you won't even have time to take your next breath. It'll happen too fast for you to even see it coming."_

_"I'm so scared," she said through her tears._

_"I know._

"Yes, there is something I need to do," I responded to Bella's words. "Let's accompany Renee and Phil back to Florida, Bella. We can go see Beth's family from there."

"Okay," she assented, stepping even closer to me and distracting me from my sadness with the heat flowing off her. "But tonight…can I have my monster?" she begged seductively.

I scoffed that she would be the one to continue referring me in such a dichotomous way, but I knew what she was asking for. I couldn't help but tease her a little. "Bella, I'm shocked…"

She smiled broadly. "No you aren't," she declared, running her fingers under my shirt and across my abdomen…making my muscles bunch at her caresses. Her eyes turned black just before she said, "You like him coming out to play more than I do."

I did, and there was something to be said for your mate giving you permission to basically act on all your animal instincts. Not one to throw such a gift away, I pulled her even more tightly to me, thrusting my fingers into her hair, and attacking her mouth voraciously. Hopefully, if we didn't make it to the house, no one would stumble upon us.

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><p><strong>I would sincerely enjoy hearing your thoughts. <strong>

**My many thanks to Nikki, who signed on for the arduous task of pre-reading this for me. Her thoughts for clarifications, additions, and subtractions (smile) are brilliant. HA! My many thanks, madam!**

**And to Cold One Paul. He puts so much of himself into each of these chapters. I can't tell you how helpful it is to have a man's input…when you are writing a man's POV! ;)** **I say this every week, but I really appreciate your expertise and ability to make me laugh at myself. Without your guidance, this story would not be half as good. And more importantly, my readers appreciate your red pen! HA! Your input, rewording, and care are what makes it what it is!**

**To crmcneill, thanks for letting me have a hand in the story you envisioned so long ago.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play.**

**I finally took my husband to see Breaking Dawn 2 (my third time), and he actually enjoyed it thoroughly. He cried at the scenes between Bella and Charlie (yes, he's a keeper). I would love to hear any good stories you have from your viewings. **

**I had the most poignant experience when I saw it at the all-day event. A group of ladies from Twilighted and I saw it together, and I won't tell you about how "bad" we were. Ironically, there was an older couple there seeing the movies for the first time - with a bunch of crazy Twihards – I don't think they knew what had hit them. **

**Between Breaking Dawn 1 and 2, the man turned to us during the intermission and made a very interesting observation. "I've heard how bad these movies were from the critics, but our daughter and grandkids have just gone on and on about them, so we decided to spend the day seeing what all the fuss was about." He then went on to say, "I know why the movies haven't been a critic favorite." I waited to hear a bad opinion and was thoroughly surprised at his next words. "The reason why critics don't like them is that they teach about love, the sanctity of marriage, the power of friendship, and the true meaning of family. Hollywood doesn't like that too much."**

**I was floored at his wise observation, and his words have stuck with me. **

**As I bring Downward Spiral to a close with this chapter, I hope I've been able to recreate a little of that magic. **

**This chapter is dedicated to all of you - my readers, to Niki, Charles, and Paul, who have helped me through this journey, and to all the friends and family I have made here. My thanks again to Gleena for allowing us to piggy back off an idea she had.**

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><p>"Love, would you mind me going to find Carlisle this morning? I know you and I need to go to La Push to talk with your parents and the pack, but I just feel the need to see him."<p>

Bella pushed up to rest on her elbow. Reaching over with her other hand to trace the muscles in my chest, she smiled softly as her fingertips brushed across my skin. "As if you have to ask; go! You can meet us at the Rez after you've done what you need to do." Her golden eyes were warm and peaceful as she lazily caressed me in slow circles on my chest.

The moment was just that…relaxed and free. We'd never really been able to feel this way. First, I'd been a pompous idiot when I met Bella, and when I'd finally convinced her to pick me…to marry me…we'd only had a few weeks of bliss before the reality of her pregnancy hit. Then, I'd thought she was going to die, followed with my near-frenzied emotions, only for that to be followed by her death and rebirth, our worries about Nessie's growth, and the initial confrontation with the Volturi. Even when they'd left, there had always been the lurking specter that Aro would return for us. Then he had, and I'd disappeared - physically from my family and mentally from the world, my family, my bride, my child, and my responsibilities. But now the fear was gone. I was certain, that at some point in time, others would rise and contest the plans that Marcus and the leaders had proposed, but hundreds of years of relative peace and order likely would pass before that.

And I would get to enjoy my wife and child through it all. It was more than I'd ever dreamed of. Reaching to wrap my fingers around her neck, I pulled her slowly down to me in order to give her a soft, emotional kiss. The night had been about passion and love, and at least somehow during the interlude, I'd had the state of mind to bring us home to our cottage. So this moment, wrapped in the comfort of our thick bedding, with the representation of Isle Esme surrounding us, was the immersion in our connection, the grace that had been given to me and a celebration of it.

Softly breaking away from the lure of her lips, I murmured, "Bella, I love you. It seems so inadequate to just say those words, because what I feel for you encompasses something so intrinsically deeper. My existence, my soul, my _everything_, you hold them in the palm of your hand. You have the power of life and death over me, for without you, I would cease to exist."

She blinked her eyes, as if to keep non-existent tears from flowing, and the emotion that suffused her face was my reward even before she spoke. "Edward, I know. From the moment I first saw you in the school's cafeteria, I've been yours. The trials we have faced along the way only served to make this…" she touched above her heart and then moved to touch above mine "…stronger."

Her eyes roamed over my face as if she was trying to memorize every nuance of my expression. "I know you believe that you were the only one to go mad during the time you were gone, but you weren't. Every moment you were gone from me, I lost a little more of my sanity. It was only Nessie and the family that kept me from going insane." She gazed into my eyes earnestly. "I've told you this already, but thank you for doing what you had to do in order to come home to me." She smiled softly, "I love you as well, Edward Cullen. Far more than those words can ever express."

She laid her head down on my chest, and we remained as we had many mornings when she'd still been human. The only thing missing was the sound of her beating heart and the delicious smell of her blood. My conciliatory prize was the promise of forever.

"Edward?" she said a little while later.

"Hm?" I murmured, enjoying the feel of my fingers brushing over the skin of her back.

"As much as I enjoy being lazy with you, I don't want to keep you from looking for Carlisle."

She was so gracious, I thought, moving to kiss her again in gratitude. I'd been contemplating rising out of our bed to talk to my father, but just hadn't found the power within me to leave her. "Thank you," I told her softly when I released her lips. "I don't know how long I'll be."

Placing her finger to my lips, she silenced me. "Edward, it's fine…more than fine. Remember, we have forever." She grinned at her own wit, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Feisty," I murmured, commenting on her playfulness.

"Yup," she said, popping the "p" just before she giggled.

It was difficult to take a shower with her and not get distracted, but somehow we accomplished it…sort of. I didn't tear the shower to pieces, so I declared it a triumph. The goodbye kiss she gave me was short and sweet, with just a quick nip, and she giggled as she danced away from my grasping hands, headed toward the Quileute lands. Smirking, I shook my head in her direction; I was an extremely lucky man.

As I ran toward where I suspected I'd find my father, my mind ranging for the first trickles of his thoughts, the surreal feel of the moment finally washed over me. I was alone. I hadn't been alone since the day I was taken. Making my way through the woods, peacefulness washed over me. For so long, I'd lived a solitary existence apart from my family and the other vampires around me. Separate from the humans I'd lived among, my existence had been counted in days of unbroken and relentless tedium. I remembered contemplating that, the monotony of my existence, the morning I met Bella. Then, I'd pondered how my life must be the fitting punishment for the crimes I'd committed. High school had been seen as my purgatory; I'd been ignorant that it would be the catalyst for my heaven. Heaven and hell…

The cerebral deliberation of right and wrong, reward and punishment tantalized me as I streaked through the densely wooded land. Where once I'd felt doomed in this life, I now felt liberated; I'd found love, and it had set me free. But as my father's thoughts began to filter into my consciousness, I acknowledged that the premises of right and wrong, punishment and just rewards weren't always black and white. It was the shades of grey that often led to damnation. It was also that same blurring of the lines that made a man a man…or in our cases, a vampire something more.

He stilled his actions upon hearing my approach, the reaction giving his emotional state away long before his thoughts did. Pushing his shovel into the ground, he turned toward me in silent welcome. The light mist of the morning swirled across the battle scarred ground as I slowed to a walk and joined him. Although the fires had burned out, the sickly sweet smell of burned vampire flesh still saturated the air and large piles of ashes still dotted the clearing.

Except for where freshly uncovered strips of earth stood out like Band-Aids.

Ever the healer…

Moving toward him, I reached out for the shovel, forcing the metal tip further into the ground and turning up a great mound of dirt. Without words, I dug the holes next to each pile of ashes. When I was done, he moved to take the shovel out of my hands, transferring the ashes of his once friends, once enemies, into the graves I'd created. It was only when we approached the last pile, the one that remained near where he'd fought with Caius and Marcus with Aro that he allowed himself a degree of sorrow.

"_The soul stands between a hemisphere of light and another of darkness; on the confines of the two everlasting empires, necessity and free will_," he quoted Thomas Carlyle. He feared that his actions made him less of a man than he'd been before.

"This was necessary," I stated simply. He knew this, but it helped him to hear me confirm the legitimacy of what we'd done. Pushing the shovel into the ground, I moved to place both of my hands on his shoulders, so that he focused on me. "You loved them even to the end, Carlisle."

Carlisle was mourning, in the only way he could. Tinges of self-doubt flitted in his conscience, attempting to burrow in and create festering sores, but he was holding them at bay. He needed to hear me say it; that he hadn't lost the humanity he'd so long worked for against his very nature as a vampire to obtain. No doubt, it made him uncomfortable, but what he couldn't know is that it made me feel even more tranquil. What would make others feel weak, made us strong…this need for balance. Carlisle had allowed the vampire part of himself to awaken as it was needed, but it didn't overshadow the essence of that which made him uniquely the man he was. He would always have a conscience, a love for his fellow human and immortal beings, a gentleness and grace that surpassed those around him.

I wasn't surprised to see him lower to his knees when I finished filling in the final hole, the one that I believed contained the ashes of Aro, Caius, and their wives. I'd done this duty as Carlisle watched. After tamping the dirt covering the grave down with the shovel, I stood still, giving him the peacefulness of the moment. He was unmoved by the fact that I saw his momentary doubt and angst. This moment of peace after the chaos of the previous day was his and mine alone…this time…to carefully revisit from whence we came from and to look upon a vivid reminder of what we could become, if we allowed the very natures we'd encouraged to run rampant do so in the future.

Even Aro and Caius, they too had had those shades of grey and flashes of white even as they followed what they considered the traditional and proper path of vampires. They'd loved, they'd cared, they'd thought to provide what was needed to rule effectively and efficiently, otherwise my father would not have loved them as he did. It was when they lost their perspective on needing both sides of their nature that they'd failed, as Carlisle and I had for a time, trying to rein in those more feral parts of us. We were all at fault, and now my father and I had an obligation to participate in righting the effects of our fallacies. But as I contemplated what went wrong with the Volturi leaders and its implication for me and my father, memory after memory poured through him in a farewell that I wished I could allow to stay private. He wondered if he'd done his former friends justice in the end.

"Carlisle, what you did here was more than most would have." His eyes briefly met mine and he nodded in acceptance.

With the next rain, the ashes would have settled into the earth, eliminating any evidence of the existence of an immortal army. Within days, even the gashes in the earth, from the graves we'd dug and the furrows we'd placed there during the battles, would be overrun by the verdant greenery. Esme would aid in restoring the clearing to its former condition, hiding the evidence from mortals. It was the circle of life so to speak, the earth reclaiming the men and women that immortality had stolen from it. But Carlisle had wanted to give them a "proper burial." Whether or not Aro would have seen to us in the same manner was questionable; I had my own suspicions that he would care less. The fact that Carlisle felt sorrow for what he'd felt the need to do didn't belittle him in the least. In fact, it only served to elevate him even higher in my opinion.

When he bowed his head to pray, I could do no less.

~DS~

Contrary to what we'd expected, Sam and the elders had decided very quickly that we would participate in Collin's funeral. His mother had been told that her son had fallen upon some rocks just underwater while cliff diving. Considering how dangerous the pastime could be, it had been a plausible explanation for his injuries. If some of the Quileute questioned the unexpected appearance of my family, the leaders' apparent acceptance of us helped calm the hidden anger and resentment, if not the wariness. Most of the tribe on the reservation were ignorant of the existence of immortal beings in and around them, but, as humans, they were still, at a subconscious level, wisely afraid of us.

The funeral ceremony was poignant, with stories of Collin's short life and the many things he was interested in. His mother wept throughout, and I knew that Jasper worked hard to keep Esme from giving into her own emotions. She felt Collin's death as acutely as if it had been one of us that hadn't survived. Afterward, the tribe held a Potlatch, which was a traditional Quileute celebration of life and death. While my siblings, wife, parents, and I hid the food we were "eating" in various places throughout the room, I sifted information from the thoughts of those around me; Carlisle wanted to do something, anything, to memorialize the young man. By the time we gathered to leave, I had a plethora of projects and ideas for him - things that would help the tribe. The challenging part would be in finding a way to present the thought without the tribe's pride and the hidden, long-standing prejudice against the _Cold Ones_ getting in the way.

Carlisle took the opportunity to approach Billy, Sue, and Old Quil before we left. "My wife…" Billy still squirmed uncomfortably at hearing my father use such human terms for Esme "…and I will be leaving for the next few weeks. I've been called away to Italy."

Billy understood exactly what Carlisle meant, having received a full report from Sam. He'd been glad to hear that at least two of the new leaders were "Veggies," as he irreverently thought of us.

"Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie will remain at the house, if there is a need for them." He paused for a moment before going forward. "I wanted to inform you that I spoke with the other leaders on our council, and we have fashioned a new treaty with the Quileute, if you will accept this. Other than my family, the Pacific Northwest up to a radius of four hundred miles and extending from Oregon up through the western coast of Canada to Alaska where our cousins live has been declared off limits for vampires. It doesn't mean that wandering nomads won't test the boundaries of the new law; if that happens, they will fall under the jurisdiction of our laws and punishments."

To say that Billy and the other elders were surprised was an understatement. Billy had assumed that our relationship would certainly continue and expand…Nessie's existence and Jacob's imprinting necessitating that under the then-existing treaty between the tribe and the Cullens…but to be given such an immense concession from our kind was unexpected. He might have dreamed of such protections, but to be granted them was something entirely different. He and the others were greatly astounded and pleased at this expansion of their treaty.

I smirked hearing Billy's next thoughts. "Your presence alone is enough to guarantee that our legacy continues. And for the first time in our history, there will be one with lifetimes of experience to guide the future generations." His eyes moved to Jacob, where he was entertaining Nessie and some of the other children. It was a part of the whole act we perpetuated, and one he would have to continue until Nessie matured. "I will count on you to serve as his advisor," Billy challenged Carlisle, but in a father to father, man to man way.

"Of course," Carlisle murmured quickly. "If you and the other elders would be amenable to telling us your stories, we can help record and maintain them for those that will come…" he grinned then "…including my great grandchildren."

That was a pride that Billy understood, this reasoning that Carlisle and he would share such a distinction. Looking directly at me, Billy nodded. It would seem that like the collective conscience of the wolves, that the elders had vivid memories of their stories – memories that would be better "seen" from their perspective at the council fires. I was the ideal candidate to catch the nuances. The idea intrigued me, and it was my daughter's children that would help carry the Quileute legacy on to future generations. Nodding my head in acceptance of his thoughts, I knew that Bella would enjoy the prospect as much as me.

We didn't stay much longer, wishing the tribe to have some privacy, but as we moved to the cars we'd utilized for our "human" act, Jacob followed.

"How long do you expect to be gone?" he asked for the third time. Being away from Renesmee even for the short time for us to go to Florida made Jacob extremely nervous.

"A week at the most, Jake," Bella teased him. "I promise you'll live."

He rolled his eyes at her before giving her a hug goodbye. Although he'd been invited to come along with us, he had chosen to stay in order to help with settling the affairs of Collin's death. Being an Alpha had many responsibilities, and this was but one.

"Edward…" he said, pulling me into an appropriate manly hug, arms crossed between us…brief pat to the back. "Take care of my girls while you're gone," he actually had the audacity to order me.

His girls? My instantaneous and deep growl at his words entertained not only him but Bella.

"Calm down," she laughed quietly. To Jake she replied, "Don't worry; we'll keep him out of trouble."

Jacob raised his eyebrows and grinned at her snarky words. But he raised his hand in farewell as we drove off, Nessie waving frantically goodbye from the back. I watched in the mirror until he finally disappeared from sight, but there was no sense of despair as he faded, because his adoption into my family was complete. Bloodsucker and Dog…

~DS~

Marcus, Tanya, Felix, Demetri, Heidi, and the Romanians were the only ones remaining at the house when we returned from the Quileute reservation. The others had all elected to go their separate ways…the new leaders having already agreed to meet in Italy within the week to further outline and codify their plans for the new world we'd entered. We hadn't seen Marcus or Tanya since they left the house, and it took me a moment to actually recognize the leader. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail with a leather strip, and Carlisle had obviously left him some clothes out. Dressed in a t-shirt, open button down, and jeans, he looked more an indie rock star than ancient leader of bloodthirsty savages. It made me wonder just how old Marcus had been when he was changed. Because seeing him without the grief that had encaged him, he didn't look much older than me. However, it was most likely the broad smile on his face that ruined the whole savage look. When we'd entered, he'd been leaning over Tanya, whispering something to her as he nuzzled her neck. Hearing us, he'd straightened and turned unabashedly.

"I spoke with Billy and shared your condolences," Carlisle told him, going over to shake his hand. "As well as your agreement."

"_Our_ agreement," Marcus corrected, specifically emphasizing my father's new status.

I didn't have to tell Carlisle that Marcus saw him as a full equal. As hard as he was trying, Marcus had always been a part of a small ruling leadership since Aro and he had joined as partners. He was determined to operate under the auspices of the new council, but old habits would die hard. Apart from Tanya, he considered my father his closest ally. Freed from the almost numbing control and binding that Corin and Chelsea had used to keep him compliant, Marcus now remembered the copious amount of time that Carlisle had spent with him during his time with the Volturi. He recalled clearly Carlisle's kindness and warmth, and while those were attributes he valued highly from my father, he approved as wholeheartedly of the righteous man that had stood against Aro.

Taking advantage of the distraction of their conversation, I looked over to Tanya. I was attempting to do so discreetly, because Marcus' possessiveness was clear, amplified by the day and night they'd spent together…um…reestablishing their bond. I didn't want him to think that I was questioning anything, but I couldn't help but still be a little protective of her myself. The grin that overtook me at the thoughts and emotions pouring off both minds when we'd entered the house couldn't be helped. Tanya narrowed her eyes at me, knowing exactly what I was thinking, and she moved from Marcus' side to come over and punch me in the shoulder.

"Stop!" she hissed.

Trying to adopt the most innocent of expressions, I asked, "What?"

It was enough; laughter broke free and clean out of her, filling up the space around us.

_Thank you,_ she finally said silently. Patting my cheek with her hand in a fond fashion, she continued, _For keeping me out of trouble when I needed to be_.

I didn't want to ask in front of Marcus, but my eyes must have given away my question.

_Yes, I'm extremely happy. Happy really isn't even the word that I would use to describe what I'm feeling…it seems so inadequate. _Hadn't Bella and I had this exact discussion this morning? Through my observation, Tanya tapped her finger above my heart. _ Complete._

Taking a deep breath and releasing it loudly in human fashion, much to everyone's amusement, I shuddered dramatically before saying, "Finally."

She shrieked in mock protest as my siblings and wife burst out in laughter. It was my daughter approaching Marcus that finally broke apart the hug Tanya gave me.

"Mr. Marcus, you'll take care of my grandfather and grandmother," she said. It wasn't a question, but a demand.

Even Tanya's eyebrow arched at the audacity of our child. We'd raised her to speak her mind, but there was a degree of surrealism seeing her do so so forthrightly to the ancient one. Her actions were exactly what Aro had meant when he said that Carlisle had given us inordinate freedoms; thereby fostering inordinate liberties. Even Stefan and Vladimir chuckled at her boldness.

Marcus elegantly lowered to his knees so that he and my daughter looked eye to eye. As I'd been struck by the symbolism of Jacob doing this with Renesmee just before the fight…and the knowledge that the image then had represented all that Aro wanted to destroy…I was struck by the juxtaposition of the old and new before me. Millennia of leadership and knowledge meeting the bravado of youth and idealism.

"Renesmee, I will protect them with my life." He smiled at her, and with an unassuming manner reached to her face gently, pushing a copper strand of hair behind her ear.

"You better, otherwise, you'll have me to answer to," she said sincerely, maintaining steady eye contact with him.

"And I do believe you just might be the fiercest adversary I've ever faced." He wasn't saying it to amuse us or in a condescending manner. He meant it.

Having gained what she wanted, Renesmee surprised the group by reaching out to hug him fiercely and then touching his face gently. Marcus' startled gasp echoed throughout the room as Renesmee's thoughts filled him. The combination of unassuming love and the images of the peaceful world she desired saturated his every sense. When she finally released him, I tried not to chuckle at the bemused expression of his face. Welcome to my world, I thought. Like her mother, my daughter was constantly surprising me, so it was poetic that he would be required to experience it.

Carlisle, Esme, Stefan, and Vladimir would be traveling back to Volterra with Marcus, Tanya, and the Guard, while my siblings remained in Forks to watch over the house and support the wolves as needed. Rosalie had struggled, as my parents would be taking the two toddler girls back to Italy with them. Felix had been charged to return them…close enough that the authorities that had been scouring the city would find them immediately.

Carlisle had used casting material that wouldn't be easily traced, with only the basic elements, and our only hope was that the toddlers' fantastic stories would just be either disbelieved and passed off as wild imagination or go down into local Italian urban legend. They'd taken to calling Rose an "angelo," and I knew that they certainly saw us as angels…so if it gave other individuals hope to listen to a toddler's babbling, so be it. Human memories would fade as they grew older, so we would be only a wispy fantasy, lost in the mists of time before too much longer. I could only be grateful that Aro had inadvertently found children so young and from another continent. Rose, showing more restraint than I thought she possessed, had decided not to accompany them, electing to cut the ties to the children now in her home where she could mourn in privacy. Jasper was kind enough to let me know that he would be working in stealth to ease her pain as much as possible in our absence. We would not visit these two children ever again, lest their memories be triggered and reveal our presence.

But as for Bella, Nessie, and me, we were going to travel to Florida with Renee and Phil. We were picking them up in a few hours, Alice having seen a truly rainy weekend in the Sunshine State, thanks to a tropical depression. That being said, there was only one other loose end, and Charlie was never one to back away from anything. So it wasn't surprising that we all turned toward the road, hearing the police cruiser approaching.

Rising from beside Renesmee, Marcus reached out to take my daughter's hand before asking, "Should we remove ourselves from the premises?"

Bella laughed at his question before saying, "Only if you don't truly want to meet my father." Then realizing what it meant, she turned to the traditional vampires with a glare. "Can you control yourself around him?"

Stefan actually chuckled at her ferocity. The sight of the Romanian laughing eerily was a disturbing image, and I even saw Emmett shudder at it. "Young one, we've been surviving among and around humans longer than history has been penned to paper," he replied.

"….And we would very much like to meet this human that sired you," Vladimir murmured, finishing his friend's thoughts.

"He's not available," I replied curtly in response to their unspoken desires…they'd come to the conclusion that if Bella was any indication, he'd make another intriguing immortal.

"What!" Bella squeaked, in an immediate negative reaction to their covetous thoughts. "No!" Then the irony hit her as I raised my eyebrow at her. She would have been blushing if she was a human and the thought humored me.

Carlisle met Charlie at the door, escorting him into the room. He only stumbled a step when he saw Marcus, the Guard, and the Romanians. "Hello," he said with a strong voice, earning even more regard from Stefan and Vladimir, who already desired him entirely too much. He was a bit unnerved at seeing the pair survey him intently, with dark burgundy eyes.

"Charlie, this is Marcus of Volterra. He is our leader," Carlisle said in way of introduction to the black-headed man.

Charlie actually stepped forward, offering his hand to Marcus in welcome. I couldn't hear what Charlie was thinking, but Marcus was astounded. _So much like Isabella_, he thought, now remembering her actions in the tower in Volterra, when she'd come to rescue me.

Charlie didn't even flinch when Marcus gripped his hand.

"And this is Stefan and Vladimir…old friends of mine." Charlie offered his hand in the same manner to the Romanians, and I wanted to laugh out loud at their expressions. But unwilling to insult my wife, they glided forward to welcome him.

"Demetri and Heidi," Carlisle continued down the line, and I had to cough to keep from chuckling when Charlie blushed at Heidi. She was a looker. Heidi smiled charmingly, her ruby eyes glinting, but keeping her gift to herself.

"And Felix."

Charlie came to a standstill before Felix, craning his neck to look up at the huge vampire. "Damn, you're as big as Emmett. The Seahawks could really use the two of you. Last year was pretty pathetic."

Emmett burst out laughing at Charlie's statement. Our destruction had been avoided, so it was on to life as usual for my father-in-law. He had his priorities.

"I've never played American Football," Felix raised his eyebrows and smirked as he admitted his deep base voice rumbling.

"That's okay. We could teach you," Charlie said in a hopeful voice, before turning to pull Renesmee, who'd followed behind him, up on his hip. He then found Bella across the room beside me and smiled. "Bells, I just wanted to talk with you for a little before you leave with your mom," Charlie said in explanation to why he was here.

Bella followed them out of the room, me quickly behind after observing the baffled expressions on the amassed vampires' faces. "Not available," I mumbled back to the Romanians again, in response to their spiraling greed.

~DS~

"Edward, might I have a moment?" Marcus asked softly, just before they finished loading into the various cars, destined for the port where the Volturi had left their yacht. I'd never really contemplated how they'd arrived in the States, but the vessel Demetri had described and I'd seen through his memories was definitely a luxurious way to do it.

"Certainly," I answered, placing the last of my, Bella, and Nessie's luggage in the back of the Volvo. We would be stopping by the reservation to pick up Phil and Renee on our way to the airport.

I was surprised when he walked around the house and down to the river, jumping over it. Following him, I remained quiet until he'd determined that we'd gone a sufficient distance to provide privacy. Putting my hands in my jeans pockets, I waited patiently for him to organize his thoughts.

"I want to thank you," he said by way of beginning. When I began to deny that thanks were needed, he held his hand up to stop me. "I am certain that your next words are that there is no need for thanks." He smirked seeing the answer in my face and slowly shook his head. "You are truly Carlisle's son in that."

He glanced up as a few raindrops fell from the leaves above us to the ground. "Your suffering was immense," he said simply. I didn't know what to say to that, and when I didn't respond, his dark red eyes captured mine. "I'm humiliated that I didn't pay attention."

When I went to argue that he'd been as much a victim, he held his hand up again to stop me.

"I am in your debt for many things, Edward Cullen. Without the knowledge you brought to this war, I fear that the end result may have been very different. This freedom…" he shook his head slightly at the joy of the new sensation "…is more than I could've ever imagined, even when Didyme and I first attempted to leave. I have that with her now…with Tanya." It was still all very confusing to him, but it didn't matter…it was what it was. "I owe you for that as well."

I shook my head in denial.

He growled at me and it was quite intimidating. I had to fight hard to keep from responding in kind, and he actually chuckled seeing my reaction. "You…you intrigue me," he admitted. "As you do Vladimir and Stefan," he added, and this time I did growl.

"No," I answered quickly and succinctly.

"I agree…for now." He smirked before continuing. "You deserve some time with your mate and child. Just don't destroy the shape-shifter when the time comes; he is quite the intriguing specimen as well. We have all the time in the world. I'll wait for the two of you to join us in your rightful places."

"NO!" I answered a little more forcefully.

He just smiled mischievously, turning his head back toward home, as if he sensed someone approaching. But I didn't hear anything, so perhaps he was just noting the priorities I had with the direction of his thoughts.

"I didn't ask you here to discuss future possibilities or to argue. In fact, I would have spoken my words in front of the group, but Tanya discouraged me. She thought you would accept my gratitude in a more sensible fashion, if it wasn't done in front of the others. Let me see if I can say this as she did, 'Edward doesn't see himself clearly.'"

NO! I started to rebut their statement, but Marcus stopped me.

"Edward…" his tone brooked no arguments, and I closed my mouth so as not to disrespect him as our leader. He waited until I looked at him squarely before he continued. "When I was still young to this life, I spent an inordinate amount of time with Socrates and his student Plato. I found their arguments vivacious and invigorating. Didyme often laughed at my interest in them, but I engaged in discourse with the two, because I felt challenged by their intellectual pursuits. In fact, if I followed through with this premise that we have about the possibility of reincarnation, I would suggest that you and your father might be the spirits of those two men." His observation floored me. But he continued through my shocked silence, "However, I'm not certain about just how I've been given this chance…for certainly I do not deserve what I've been given."

I could certainly relate to his sense of self-flagellation. I lost my battle with control, but this time in humor. Bursting out in laughter, I earned a snarl from him. "Marcus! Now you sound like me." I chortled, attempting to control the mirth and slapping at my thighs in reaction. "If I've learned nothing, it is to stop doubting and just enjoy. Who knows why Didyme was brought back to you in the manner she was, but I can tell you that I am so happy that you and Tanya found each other, no matter what power brought it about."

"So glad you find humor at my expense, Edward," he said in a monotone manner. And I worried a moment that I'd insulted him until I caught his thoughts. He grinned realizing he couldn't hide from me. "Regardless of the how and why, which will most likely stay a mystery to us all, I am well aware who brought about the here and now. It is the reason I brought up my old friends. Plato once told me that the measure of a man is what he does with power. You have proven your worth. So go enjoy your wife and child, young one. However, do not be surprised or offended when I need you…for I will."

As I saw what he was about to do, I growled in frustration even as he approached me. Holding his hand out to me, palm outward, fingers spread, he waited for me to do the same. It was a sign of acceptance and bonding, an ancient ritual only given to those most trusted. My fate would be sealed when I returned it - for there was no "if." As Carlisle had sealed his own fate upon choosing to lead the rebellion, I'd chosen mine, being the impetus to all that had happened over the past few years…this life I'd started when I chose to return "home" to Bella from the Denali wilderness. Giving into my urge, I paced furiously, reasoning that there must be some way to avoid it. Vision of every excuse I could muster flew through my brain as avoided standing before him, but, in the end, I knew it was hopeless. Finally coming to a stop in front of him, I wanted to snarl at the calm face he presented…hand still up demanding my allegiance. It took every ounce of control I'd ever cultivated not to scream, so instead, a deep rumble tore out of my chest as I forced my fingertips and palm to touch against his.

I was still grumbling as the smiling, pompous Romanians climbed into my father's Mercedes. I determined, in that moment, to pray really hard that if they existed in some form, God would allow me to find Stefan's and Vladimir's wives. And when I did, I was going to ask them to make the Romanians' lives' hell.

~DS~

"Are you ready?" Bella asked, softly squeezing my hand as I looked at the house before us.

Ready or not, I had little choice, but facing the Volturi had been easier. Uncertain as to why we were coming, they were however expecting us. I'd sat outside the house the night before, waiting for them to fall asleep so that I could steal inside and read some of Beth's letters to her family. As I'd suspected, I found the missives in a place of honor on her mother's chest-of-drawers. A mother's love…I remembered Esme's as she'd kissed my cheek. She'd gazed at me with such pride. "You'll do fine, Edward. You'll find the way to let them know she loved them and ease their pain."

Having memorized the slants and curves of Beth's handwriting, I'd been able to write the words of her final letter to paper perfectly from memory. Then I'd rubbed the sheets to distress the paper as if it had been carried with me through many difficulties. I'd add only one thing to it…her signature. It wasn't something she'd thought to say, but I'd known, the ending remaining silent to everyone apart from her and me.

"Yeah, I'm ready," I replied. Then holding my wife's and daughter's hands I walked up the short sidewalk to the door.

My knock was answered by an older version of Beth. She took a deep gasp of breath seeing Bella and I, then noticing Nessie at my side. No matter how much I would have liked to tell a story for once without having to lie, it was impossible.

"Mrs. Simmons, I'm Edward Cullen. This is my wife, Isabella…" I spoke, employing an Italian accent "…and my sister, Nessie. Thank you for agreeing to meet with us."

She was taken in by Nessie, who was doing all she could to be charming. She was lovable on a bad day; when she attempted to be adorable, she was irresistible.

"Yes…yes, please come in. Everyone is here, just as you asked. We're all anxious to hear the news of Beth."

They were hoping that I had information that she was alive and that the last year had been a bad dream. But when Bella stepped into the indoor light, Mrs. Simmons gasped. Aro had chosen Beth because of her physical similarities to Bella, and that didn't go unnoticed by my savior's mother. Daniel, her fiancé, had even a harder time, coming to rise as soon as we moved into the warm living room. He was actually unsteady on his feet, and I saw Beth's father place his hand on Daniel's shoulder to comfort him.

"Please have a seat," Mrs. Simmons offered a couch to us, anxious to hear what I might know.

And so began the façade. For the next hour, I fed Beth's family a story, with partial truths and omissions, of me and my family, and how Beth and I had both been in Italy and ended up as victims of the nefarious ways of an ancient family. I explained how we'd become allies of sorts in the place we were held, but that as criminal elements often did, the family had run into enemies of their own. How during a mob fight, we'd thought we might find escape and, carrying each other's respective letters that had been written to our families, we'd made a bid for freedom.

"It was disguised as a civil unrest, the fight that occurred between them," I explained, using the knowledge I'd plucked the previous night from Mr. Simmons' mind to make it logical. He'd been in the Army during his youth. Having been stationed in Italy, it had actually been his concern when Beth disappeared. We'd come all the way from Forks with just Alice's assurance that I'd come up with a plan if I'd listened in on the family. True to Alice's words, hearing his fears, I'd quickly developed the story I was disseminating. I just hoped that when I gave him the letter, that her sincerity about her feelings for them would provide him peace.

"I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get to you. I suffered trauma after Beth's death…" her mother sobbed when I finally dashed her hopes, but her father gathered her to him. Daniel, her fiancé, began to cry in earnest, the final threads of his hope gone. "When my family found me, they had a hard time nursing me back to health. It took months for me to remember who I was."

"You had amnesia?" Meredith, her sister, asked.

"Yes."

For in fact, wasn't that what occurred; I'd forgotten who I was for a time.

"First, we had to find you, and then I had to be healthy enough to come." That was actually a stretch, because my throat raged in fire and the scents of each of the humans in this warm room called to me tremendously. Perhaps I wasn't really ready to be here, but I hadn't been willing to wait any longer. Thankfully, the dark circles under my and Bella's eyes led them to believe we were still exhausted, still recovering.

Mr. and Mrs. Simmons continued to look at Bella out of the corner of their eyes, and I could hear their curiosity. "Isabella is originally from Italy, and we were there visiting when I was in the wrong place at the right time. When I saw Beth across the room, I thought that my wife had also been taken, so I approached her. Luckily, Isabella, my sister, and the rest of my family were safe and far away, but Beth and I fashioned a friendship of sorts during the time we were together."

I heard the question that they were afraid to ask.

"Her death was instantaneous. She didn't suffer, and she was never assaulted." I knew that for a fact, remembering the speed at which I broke her neck. Sensing my distress, Bella stroked my arm to comfort me. I didn't hide my feelings well from the five humans that I'd come to see, but instead of my anguish making me more repulsive to them, they saw it as an effect of my experience.

Post Traumatic Stress, Mr. Simmons thought, having experienced it himself after losing some of his comrades.

Bella took over for me. She'd practiced a faint Italian accent, having perfected it for this. "I am so sorry…" she said with great emotion "…for your loss. I thought Edward had been killed as well. The day I received the phone call that he'd been found, it was an answer to prayer." She relished being able to tell them the next words. "The family that took Edward and Beth captive…they were destroyed in the war they started."

Her words gave me the respite I needed to handle the emotions overwhelming me from remembering my conversation with their daughter…the woman who'd literally given her life to save mine. That the "family" had been destroyed seemed to give Beth's family some justice.

"The bullet was meant to end my life. She…saved me." Mrs. Simmons sobbed, while I faced Beth's fiancé. "I understand that it doesn't help to know that, but she died because she thought of another before herself."

A grin tugged at his lips, even through the pain. He'd been leery of my explanations, suspicious of it all until then, because he was thinking that it sounded just like her.

"I have the letter," I said, reaching into my jacket pocket. Their pain, even though I was just hearing it through their thoughts, their overwhelming grief, and the sound of their hearts pounding in distress was difficult for me, and although I didn't want to leave, I knew I might need to.

Mrs. Simmons and her daughter gasped at my words. "The letter! I just thought that maybe it had gotten lost," she cried out. I realized then I should have given it to them first.

Pulling it out, I stood and walked over to her slowly, as to not scare her. "I put it in the envelope. I'm sorry for the state of the paper…" I trailed off, letting them assume what they would.

She collapsed back onto the couch at seeing Beth's "writing." It made me feel bad for the moment, to know that I'd deceived them this way, but then hearing her thoughts of love at seeing the familiar script, allowed me to forgive myself. It was a good thing, this farce of mine. Her hands shook, but then she saw the others waiting to hear what the letter said. With great emotion and tears, she began reading…

"My Dear Family,

By the time this message reaches you, I will be long dead. I can't imagine you would ever stop looking for me, but I can assure you that I won't be found. I want you to know that my end was quick and painless, and my only fear was that I was leaving you behind to grieve for me. I wasn't alone either, because God left a friend for me in the most unlikely of places, and he protected me right to the end."

Her father looked to me, realizing that at the time she wrote the words, she couldn't have known her death would be painless. He believed that she'd said it to ease their suffering, but seeing his daughter's penmanship, he was able to accept my assurance. She'd given him these words…even if the handwriting was mine…but he only knew that they spoke clearly to his heart. This was his baby speaking to him from beyond the grave, and he believed me when I said she didn't suffer. In the worst of all case scenarios, it was for him a relief to know that she wanted them to believe that death had found her quickly. She'd, of course, trusted me to keep my word that she would never feel it, and I had.

"My beloved Daniel. I'm so afraid to think that this is the last time I get to say that. You have changed my life so much, and from the day I met you, I wanted more than anything to be your wife. I am so angry that this is the end; that we won't be married; that I will never see your eyes or your smile again; that we won't grow old together. My life will be over very soon, but my love for you will live forever. I know you will grieve, and that someday you will move on and find someone else. I give you my blessing, and my one request is that you find joy and happiness, for my sake if nothing else."

His hands formed fists. His pain was still too raw to even conceive of finding another love. Flashes of their first date ran through his memories…the first time they'd kissed…made love. It was too much to think that it had all been lost.

"Mom and Dad, I can't even imagine what you will go through because of this. Just know that I loved you, and I couldn't have asked for better parents. So much of who I am, I owe to you. I can't imagine the pain of losing a child, but I know you'll have Bobby and Meredith, and they'll both need you so much now. Please look out for Daniel; he would've been your son someday, and he'll need your love and support, too."

Mrs. Simmons had to take a break, and Daniel actually rose to go over to her. He knelt in front of her and reached up to take her free hand. I suspected that even when Daniel did meet someone new, that this family would remain special to him. I hoped that he found a woman that would respect this family and what they'd gone through together.

"My dear brother and sister, there is so much I've left unsaid between us. It's so hard to relate to siblings as friends when there's so much irritation and squabbling. I want you to know I love you, and in the end, all of the little things we hated about each other don't really matter. I will miss you all so much, and my only regret is that I didn't spend enough time with you. I know me being gone will be hard on you, but Mom and Dad will be there for you, and they'll need your help, too."

Bobby, her younger brother, had been the only one to remain verbally quiet. His thoughts had raced though, remembering the times they'd chased one another around the house. He was a freshman in high school…an athlete…an all around good kid. It made me feel better to see the tears flowing from his eyes. It let me know that he was grown enough to know that tears weren't a sign of weakness.

"I'm running out of things to say here. If I could fill up the rest of this message with I Love You's, I would do it, but there isn't enough time. Just make sure you don't take any moment for granted, and never pass up an opportunity to love each other, because you never know which moment is going to be your last.

I love you all so very much. My love, forever, Beth."

Nessie chose that moment to engage, seeing that both her family and I were upset. In her best impression of a human eight year old, which is how she appeared, she moved to Mrs. Simmons, softly patting her back. "I'm sorry," she said over and over. At least she could provide tears for us, great ones pouring down her face. Bella placed her hand over her eyes, to fake rubbing tears away. I was certain that she would have loved to have the relief of tears to ease the burn of venom in our eyes.

While my daughter/sister comforted Mrs. Simmons, the fears I'd heard from them disappeared. The evidence was too overwhelming. My expert forgery had successfully convinced them that Beth had written the words on the paper…not just said them to me. My contrived story of unrest in Italy matched with Mr. Simmons' experiences there, and the uncooperativeness that the Italian authorities had given them as they attempted to force someone to look for their missing daughter. He knew, in that moment, that they'd never recover Beth's body, even if it had been found. The clear angst in my eyes healed the last fissure of doubt as they believed no one could be that good of an actor. Ironically, I had been at times, but I didn't have to be now…her death would forever haunt me, regardless of the manner in which her life was offered and sacrificed.

"I want to thank you for coming," Daniel said, as he followed us out to the rental car awhile later.

After the final pieces of distrust and uncertainty had fallen, they'd been gracious and kind in wanting to make us feel comfortable. Nessie had eaten a snack that Beth's mother fixed, luckily giving Bella and me an excuse not to. While she willing forced herself to choke down the food, they'd asked about Beth's final days and her spirits, and I'd given what I knew they needed to hear.

"You could've just ignored that she gave you that letter and gone on with your life," he continued, when we came to a stop before the car.

No, no I couldn't, and I told him so. "It would have been impossible for me to do that. She was a wonderful person." I stopped so that he could see my sincerity. "I mean that. If I could've saved her, I would've," I said harshly. Had there been a way, any way, just as I would've saved all the other nameless ones I'd murdered almost immediately and without thought.

"Well, that you followed through on a promise you made to her brought me and that family…" he looked back toward the house "…an amount of peace. I knew she was gone." He touched just above his heart. "In here, I just knew."

"But she'll always be there in your heart," Bella told him, before turning to "help" Nessie get arranged in the back seat.

"Yes, she will," he murmured, emotionally destitute in that moment. Hopefully time would help him, unlike Bella who'd been unable to let me go when I tried to set her free.

"I left our number with Beth's mother," Bella told him. "Please let us know if there is anything we can do…anything."

He nodded his head at her, but couldn't really imagine what we could offer. But he would make sure that they kept our number, believing that Beth's parents might feel the need to contact me once in awhile, just to hear my voice, knowing that I was the last person to see her alive. As we pulled out of the driveway, he raised his hand in farewell to me and the image was startling reminiscent of the manner in which Marcus had pulled me into his service. This time, however, I would have willingly placed my ice cold fingers and palm against this man's.

"We'll watch over them, Edward," Bella said softly, reaching across the center console of the car to take my hand in hers. She knew exactly what I was thinking. I turned to see her golden eyes gazing at me with such love and concern that I was instantly reminded of how blessed I was.

As if to emphasize my gifts, Nessie declared from back, "Yes, Daddy, we will." I would like to say it was with childish enthusiasm, but there was nothing so simple about my daughter's intentions.

Driving away, back toward the hotel where we would "rest" before heading home on the plane in the morning, I thought of Beth's last thoughts of me, just before she'd sacrificed herself.

_Dear God, I don't know how you feel about vampires, but please protect this one and return him to his family. Amen_

As I thought of those individuals we were returning to in Forks and then glanced to Bella and Nessie, all I could think was…

I made it, Beth.

I'd made it.

~The End~

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><p><strong>AN: It has been a privilege sharing this story with you. I would love to know your thoughts! Even if you've read the entire story without responding, I would appreciate a few words saying what you enjoyed! **

**For those of you wondering, YES…I am now going to go finish off Full Moon Rising. My beta already has a chapter in hand.**

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	23. Dead Man

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. Full credit to Mrs. Meyers for the lines from Eclipse that I've utilized in this chapter.**

**My thanks to Nikki who preread and betaed this chapter for me. Some of you have asked for a few outtakes of future moments in Monsterward's life. Hope you enjoy this. This is just a little thank you to which ever reader nominated Downward Spiral over at the twifanfictionrecs site for one of the best completed fics for December. I have little to no chance of winning a spot with my cannon all-vamp story, because I am up against some of the most popular all-human stories out there. But please go over and give your favorite a vote. There are some great authors out there waiting for the privilege of you clicking that button!**

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><p>Aggression raced across my skin, and the snarl that had started low in my stomach built within me, expanding and racing along my ribs and across my heart to take wings in my throat. The sound that clamored to escape me was tortured and primal, but I refused to allow it to take flight; the need for silence was an absolute necessity. Rage, pure and strong, fueled the need to destroy, my instincts demanding to be obeyed as they screamed for the destruction, decimation, and annihilation of the enemy. The target of my plans paced nervously, unaware of just how limited his time left upon this earth was.<p>

From a great distance, I heard Alice screaming as if she was in pain and the part of me deep inside that needed to relieve her agony responded. _Wasn't I doing my very best to eliminate the man who had caused us to be this way?_

"Edward!" she screamed.

It was imperative that I ignore her, that I use my speed and ability to hear those around me in order to get to the one that was causing us pain. Distractions could provide the enemy an opportunity to outwit me. Such was what had happened when Aro had taken me…I'd been distracted by my wish to fulfill another's desire, my mate's. The enemy wouldn't have that chance today…for I would destroy the man that dared to believe he could touch one of my own.

Ignoring Alice's pleas to the contrary, I moved quickly, using the shadows to cover me. Giving up on me and on my ability to help her, she screamed out instead for Jasper and Emmett. Taking to the roof, I moved toward the area where I heard his loud and lewd thoughts. They were what betrayed him in the first place. Visions of my daughter wrapped through my mind. Beautiful Renesmee. His intentions for her were what sparked the current need to obliterate.

I could hear a multitude of racing thoughts within the house, contemplations that were centered around the harsh words coming from Alice as she pleaded for help. Then everything went blank, my gift deserting me._ Bella… _The need for speed and covertness were instantaneously magnified as I sped across the sharp lines of the roof, and I fantasized about tearing at him with my teeth.

Crawling through the window, just down the hall from where the man responsible for my current rage paced surrounded by his lackeys, I made my way stealthily toward him. I heard their raucous laughter and banter. They were loyal to a fault and willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of the whole. But if he thought there was security in numbers, I would soon disabuse him of the thought, because I would destroy anyone that got in my way. Images of broken bodies and carnage filled my mind and amused me.

"Edward!" I heard Alice scream again in warning from below me and then the sound of a large group of individuals approaching. My advance had been betrayed.

There was no more time…it must be now.

Smashing through the door, I caught the confusion on their faces as I tore into the room toward the man that dared to despoil my loved one.

"Edward!" Jacob cried out in concern at the fury on my face. He'd been straightening his bow tie and shrugging on his tuxedo jacket. Immediate recognition of the mistakes he'd made and the consequences rolled through him, and he rightly panicked. "Shit!" He moved to protect those around him. "Seth! Get back!" The young man at his side didn't listen, placing himself between me and Jacob.

Seeing the startled and wary looks on the wolf pack's faces, my rage dissipated instantaneously. And as Seth held his hands out toward me in placation, my control returned. It was almost like a water faucet, the fury within me shutting off as the feral part of me was tamed by the rational. I shook to dispel the aggression that had momentarily controlled me, and Seth watched warily to see if I was successful…he'd been with me before when I'd had to struggle against the aggression within me. He was a good friend, a pure soul.

But Jacob wasn't, and he knew it. And, I still wanted to kill him, but maybe with just a little less pain. A whoosh of air at my back had me spinning and Carlisle collided with me, throwing me into the wall.

"SON!" He had his arm across my chest, holding me back. Worry tinged his golden eyes as he listened to the snarls that instinctually tore out of me at his actions.

Then, my love was in front of me placing her hands to my face as she'd done so long ago when she'd tried to tame the monster within. "Edward… That is Jacob; the man who _loves_ her." She patted my cheeks softly to garner my attention, as she argued with me against our friend's destruction. Alice…she must have told them when she was screaming for help…and then the flashes of her frantic pleas for Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle washed over me. I'd been too far gone with the rage to acknowledge her quick actions. I would have to thank her later, for although seeing the wolves' faces had broken through the rage, it was good to have Bella and Carlisle here to help me.

Focusing on the heart shaped face in front of me, I growled out as Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie and Alice made our side. Their thoughts crashed over me as Bella released them from her shield. Emmett…the perpetual happy one…was enjoying the show, while Jasper, ever the tactician, warily assessed the room attempting to determine how to deescalate the situation as quickly as possible. Rose supported me…well, to some degree. Nessie was her baby, and the thoughts of handing her over into the Dog's paws still upset her. But like me, she knew that harming Jacob would destroy our angel's heart. Alice, well, she was just exasperated.

I'd been with her one moment, allowing her to straighten the bow time I wore with my tuxedo, and the next, I'd lunged for the window upon hearing Jacob's thoughts. The need to destroy him for thinking of Nessie in such a sexually explicit manner had taken over instantaneously. It was the legacy of my time with Aro…the very reactive and aggressive manner that I sometimes allowed to reign in times of need.

The years had allowed me to develop a sense of self, but my savage nature was now a very large part of who I was. Most often, I could use it for advantageous reasons, rarely dealing with such loss of control. But any perceived harm to my family was a trigger...one that I was still having a little harder time managing.

"Sorry!" Alice squeaked out to the group. "I didn't see it happening until it was too late, and he wouldn't listen." She was quite perturbed at me.

Carlisle looked at me, inspecting my features and determining my mood. Seeing the gold color returning to my eyes and the way I took breaths to provide a focal point for relaxation, just as he'd taught me, comforted him. He smiled gently before saying, "I do believe he'd already started to calm before we arrived, though."

Just seconds before actually, but I still panted in anger, glaring over Bella's shoulder at the man who'd frozen. Seth, of course, took the chance to find humor in the moment.

"Thinking dirty thoughts, Jake?" he smirked, shaking his head at his friend.

It was only because Bella was in front of me and Jasper and Emmett grabbed my arms, that my lunge wasn't successful. Seth's words reminded me of what had started it all.

"Oh God! I'm sorry," Bella cried out, frustrated that she'd allowed her shield around Jacob to drop.

The pack found the situation hilarious, their wolfish laughter filling the room in a good natured manner. Alice, however, was not pleased. The tuxedo I was wearing was ruined, dusty and covered in sheet rock from my destruction of the door and ripped from my traverse across the roof of our house. Her lip curled in disdain at the disorder of my hair.

"Thank goodness I had the foresight to purchase an extra tuxedo, Edward Anthony MCullen!" she growled out, pointing down the hallway toward where I would need to redress for the wedding.

"Daddy!" Renesmee admonished me from across the house, having just figured out what had occurred. Another growl ripped out of me as Jacob turned toward the sound like a magnet.

Emmett and Jasper began to drag me from the room thinking that my more untamed side might reemerge. It was probably the best plan, considering that I wasn't entirely under control.

"Hey, wait!" Jacob called out, stopping them.

"Are you crazy?" Bella yelled at him in disbelief as he came closer to where my brothers restrained me.

He ignored her and moved close enough that if I played my cards right, I might just be able to take a bite out of him. But seeing the gleam in my eyes and recognizing it for what it was, he took a step back. Emmett actually snickered at the retreat, while Jasper hit us all with a calming wave. I narrowed my eyes at my brother so that he could see my disgust. _Late much? _Jasper didn't have to be a mind reader to know what I was thinking and wisely didn't react to my disgruntled look.

"You know,I love her," Jacob said simply, catching my eyes and maintaining them.

Damn him.

In regards to things he could've said to me, it was the one thing that would not infuriate me to near pathological levels again. What he'd envisioned had almost been the death of him.

"I know!" I hissed.

Jasper tried to hide his smirk, but his thoughts gave him away. He was enjoying the new me.

"What are you smiling about?" I asked shrugging his hand off in an irritable manner. Emmett still held me tightly, so no one panicked at my release from one of them. "Didn't you feel the lust coming off him?"

Jasper rose to his full height, putting his hands behind his back in a relaxed manner. "Yes…but unlike an over-reactive father, I realized that for their wedding day, that anticipation is exactly as it should be. Might I remind you that you were even more…um…excited than Jacob." He arched his eyebrow at me, prompting memories of the day Bella made me the happiest being on this earth. Just to add credence to his statement, he merrily sent me a memory of my virginal self…pacing, worrying with my bow tie, fingers plowing through hair.

"Screw you," I said of his rationality, even as those around me attempted to control their hilarity. My family was reliving similar memories, all focused on the neurotic being I'd been. I had one defense against their reminders. "_Charlie_ didn't have to listen—" Jake had the grace to blush as I stressed the next part "—_IN INTIMATE DETAIL_ as to what I would like to do to his daughter," I pointed out.

"DADDY!" Renesmee shrieked. "Don't make me come down there and ruin everything." Silently, she threw at me, "_In my room._ _Now!"_

Glancing over to a very silent and still Jacob, I growled. "Do you think you could at least _attempt_ to control your thoughts?"

His eyes widened in reaction and the humor of this moment overwhelmed both Jacob and me. I'd inadvertently just repeated the request I'd asked of him regarding Bella, back during the time in the tent as we waited for Victoria to strike. And this time, he had the wisdom to not tell me to just not listen. Stepping even closer, he looked to Emmett to remove his hands from me. I saw Carlisle, sensing the crisis was over, grin and turn slightly from us.

"Edward, no one will ever love Nessie the way I will. You know that. I will do my best not to let my thoughts get out of control, but perhaps Bella needs to remember to help me just a little." Jacob's sincerity was plain, and it was the impetus for me to wrap my control around the remainder of the aggression, extinguishing it for now.

Bella grunted at his reproach, but then sniffed in disdain. "I only slipped for a minute. I saw Renesmee and lost it."

Our daughter was a vision…an absolute beauty wrapped in the simple elegant splendor of her mother's wedding gown. As if it would produce tears of love, my throat tightened at the image my wife shared with me. My memory of Bella in the same gown was just as miraculous.

"C'mon Edward. Bella and I have to finish off Ness' hair, which by the way I was about to accomplish when you went all badass Edward." Alice grabbed my hand to reemphasize her command. Bella took the other.

But I loosened my grip on Alice long enough to take Jacob's outstretched hand. That I pulled him in for a tight "father-son" hug and hissed in his ear slightly was just a necessary warning.

He chuckled as I left, knowing that we were fine. Over the past seven years, we'd gotten through Nessie's insistence that she wasn't waiting until she was eighteen in human years to begin their relationship, their dating, my reaction at catching them in their first kiss, Bella's first slip at keeping his lascivious thoughts from me, the day he'd come to ask my permission for her hand, and the day he'd actually run toward me to get away from Nessie and her passion - his muttered, "Your father will kill me," the only thing that saved him. Yes, if we could get through all that…then perhaps I shouldn't kill him on his wedding day.

Bella patted my hand as she pulled me toward our daughter. "What have I told you about saving that type of behavior for me?" she admonished.

The promise in her voice had me grinning like a fool. She was reminding me that there were better outlets for my excessive energy…ones we both found immensely satisfying. "Don't worry love; I have definite plans for our first night as empty-nesters." Alice giggled at the vision that raced through her mind and released me to blur toward Nessie. She was allowing Bella and me privacy, and I took advantage of it.

Leaning over, I whispered, "A night full of stars…our meadow…some silk scarves…some hot wax…" That I didn't care if our family and friends waiting below heard was just a measure of how much my experiences had changed me…Bella was my wife and I was all about enjoying that fact. We'd fought hard for our forever.

I bit the lobe of her ear before I left her standing with her mouth open in shock. As the aggression simmered just below the surface, writhing to break lose and attack her, I smirked in satisfaction. For one, I'd enjoyed the rare splendor of rendering Bella silent, and two, I knew as I envisioned her white skin crisscrossed with sapphire blue silk ties that I fully intended to make good on my promise.

A growl of pure lust threatened to explode from me this time. Yes…there were definitely better things to do with my monster.

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><p><strong>Short and sweet! Not sure if I'd rather be Bella or Nessie this night! Smirk.<strong>


	24. Wolf Pup

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. Full credit to Mrs. Meyers for the lines from Eclipse that I've utilized in this chapter.**

**My thanks to Nikki who preread and betaed this chapter for me. Some of you have asked for a few outtakes of future moments in Monsterward's life. Hope you enjoy this. This is just a little thank you to which ever reader nominated Downward Spiral over at the twifanfictionrecs site for one of the best completed fics for December. **

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><p><strong>Edward POV<strong>

The inky blackness of the night surrounded us. The oppressive nature of the moisture laden air and the heat felt like a wet blanket against my skin. Above us, the sky was uncommonly clear; the stars twinkled brightly in between the scant wispy clouds. It was uncharacteristically warm in Forks for early spring, and the forest prospered. The lush, deep greens of the leaves and vibrant colors of the flowers joyfully spoke of a time of abundance and rebirth. The miracles of nature were without parallel. In the distance, we could hear the presence of humanity as the cars passed on the highway, and closer, the sound of the river running as ancient as time. However, it wasn't these miracles or noises we focused upon, but the ones coming from inside the white house in front of us.

Esme trembled in my arms and almost broke from my hold when Nessie's scream ripped around us. She wasn't the only one having a hard time. Emmett struggled to contain Rosalie, while Jasper attempted to calm us all. Only Alice remained still, focused on the vision that was unfolding in her mind.

The time of abundance…the time of birth.

Alice and I both sighed in relief as we saw Ness push the squalling baby into the world, just seconds before the auspicious event actually occurred.

"A boy…Colin," I informed the rest as Alice continued watching over Nessie, Jacob, Carlisle, Bella…and my grandson. As the group around us celebrated, Alice and I remained fixated on what was occurring within the house.

As calm as ever, Carlisle quickly did the necessary things to sever Colin from his mother. He then efficiently cleaned the child up before handing him into Jacob's outstretched arms. Bella was focused on Nessie, soothing our daughter.

Nessie's pregnancy had been the antithesis of Bella's. Instead of deteriorating to near death as Bella had, our child had glowed from the pregnancy, her hybrid body quickly adapting to the changes necessary. The belief that the baby would have to be torn from her, her body ravaged by Carlisle's teeth had tortured the family. But as with all the things related to this child, this second miracle we'd been granted, we'd been surprised. Nessie's water had broken and we'd been given a priceless gift: the possibility of a normal delivery.

As Carlisle continued his care of Nessie, the new parents cried great rivers of tears, and I reminisced over the past month.

Jacob had stood before Nessie as he'd told me that she was pregnant, willing to withstand my wrath. But his humbleness—so in contradiction to the cocky boy who'd tortured me with Bella—had shone through. That they'd made it a decade without "slipping" regarding birth control had been one of the main reasons I'd been able to calm the fear and rage inside me. Realizing how quickly she'd progressed, we'd known that we were dealing with the same hybrid timeline as we had with Bella.

After Rose's shrieks of joy had echoed through the house, stirring us out of the stillness that had settled at Jacob's and Nessie's announcement, my family had exploded in various reactions. While Carlisle had swooped in on her, checking her vitals and generally driving her crazy with his hypersensitivity to her every little twitch, Alice, Rosalie, and Esme had planned the nursery, stopping only to kiss and love on Nessie before they'd flew up the stairs to demolish Esme's study in preparation. Jasper had had to sit down from the happiness permeating the house, as Emmett had begun his typical harassment of Jacob and his "eagerness." Underneath though, Emmett had been about to burst with happiness. He'd wanted a boy to play football with and arm wrestle, but then, he'd imagined another Nessie and decided a girl wouldn't be so bad after all.

Bella and I had waited until the initial flush of excitement washed through the room, and then we'd had our moment. Jacob's worried eyes had followed me, at least until I'd clapped him on the shoulder in excitement and friendship, knowing that we'd get through it, as we had before. Relieved, Nessie had collapsed in Bella's arms, tears of joy rolling down her face.

As expected, almost one day to the month of conception, Colin Masen Black joined the world.

But as I heard the healthy wails of the baby, my mind turned to watching Nessie through Carlisle's eyes, and I sighed in relief. Already, her body was transforming and healing, her stomach toning and slimming down to her pre-birth size and firmness. Carlisle struggled to keep up and finally just set about the business of cleaning up the blood. I saw him take out the alcohol, swabbing the area down just before our daughter sat up in the bed where she'd given birth.

At Carlisle's intake of breath, she rolled her eyes. "Pappa, I'm fine." And by the miracles of vampirism she looked it.

But ever the leader, Carlisle shook his head at the surreal experience, and ordered, "You are not getting out of bed, young lady, vampire or not. Let your body have the time it needs to heal."

He wasn't going to allow himself or her to be rushed, even if he knew that there was a horde of vampires waiting in the forest to greet Colin. He quickly went about the business of obliterating any further traces of blood with Bella's help. The room would reek of alcohol, but the smell would certainly not be the impetus in turning those of us that didn't have Carlisle's and Bella's supernatural control animalistic.

As Carlisle and my wife took care of the messiness of birth, Jacob's and Nessie's thoughts overtook me. Joy so pure and perfect filled them at holding their child.

For Jacob, the moment was surreal, even though he wouldn't have used that word to describe it. He'd dreamed of having children with Bella when he'd been infatuated with her, but our supernatural existence had, at least to him, seemed to eliminate that possibility. He'd tried to be careful, just in case, but it seemed that providence had something else in store…and provided him a son. These terms and thoughts were my interpretation of his thoughts, of course. Jacob's words were much simpler - ecstatic happiness and all-encompassing protectiveness overwhelmed him as he held the squirming warm body of his child in his hands.

Nessie's mothering instincts were already in full force. Her fears about the dangers of wild animals, sickness, and rogue vampires weren't far from my over reactiveness about Bella when she'd been human. I remembered clearly my conversation with Emmett when we'd gone hunting. As I had then, Nessie began to panic over the hazards of the world and what those could mean for her son. Her fear and franticness escalated, but just as I was about to call on Jasper to help, Nessie took a deep breath, determinedly pushing the worries away for the joy in her arms.

She rubbed her cheek across the downy soft hair on her son's head and swore that nothing would ever harm him.

Then glancing to Bella, tears crowding her eyes, Nessie realized just how much she'd been loved; for in that moment, Nessie understood the power of motherhood and a love that would do _anything to_ protect the gift she'd been given. As if she understood the turmoil flowing through Nessie, Bella moved to her side quickly, placing her cool hand on Nessie's shoulder in support. The flush of hormones and love after giving birth was something a man would never understand.

Colin grumbled, but before Carlisle could even suggest a feeding, Jacob—the boy that had grimaced at Bella drinking blood—produced a full bottle without hesitation. Considering the diet of choice, breastfeeding was out for hybrids and Nessie was willing to concede defeat in that area, simply happy with the ease of the birth and the apparent health of her son.

We'd been waiting for either Carlisle or Alice to give us the sign, so when she said, "Go!" that it was all it took.

I scooped Esme into my arms and ran before the others to meet my grandson. She'd been my rock before Bella, and, once long ago, after the chaos of being a newborn had worn off, I'd held her as she'd grieved the loss of her son. Carlisle was her mate, but I'd been her friend for a very long time, so it was appropriate that we'd celebrate this together, since our other halves had labored with Nessie to make it happen.

Dashing up the stairs of our house, I stopped only long enough to set Esme outside the bedroom door. Having heard me, Bella opened it and pulled me quickly in. Carlisle's face was brilliant with pleasure, and he clasped my shoulder in excitement as we passed by him. It was a subtle acknowledgement, but an acknowledgement nonetheless.

"Daddy, he has your eyes!" Nessie squealed in delight upon seeing me and hugged the small bundle closer to her.

I'd seen them through Alice's vision. _But being able to witness them first hand is so much better, _I thought when Bella finally gave him to me so she could go and fuss over our daughter. Fed and obviously secure in his world, Colin looked up at me with the brightest green eyes I'd ever seen. I'd forgotten that my eyes had been this specific color and grinned as the sight evoked faint memories of my parents. That my grandson responded with a similar half smirk was a boon. Yes, the black silky hair and mocha colored skin was all Jacob's legacy, but it would seem that there would be enough of me in him to make Jake's life miserable. The thought pleased me immensely.

"Hello, little man," I cooed, brushing my finger down his blazing hot cheek, marveling at how his arms waved in the air as if he was attempting to grab hold of me.

My words had his eyes widening, and then a barrage of images filled my mind. Colin recognized me as the one who'd responded to his thoughts while he'd still been in Nessie's stomach. Moving him to the crook of my arm, I stole to the corner of the room to commune in privacy with the creature I cradled. That my action was so similar to my early feral days after my rescue, as if I was seeking an area that I could protect easier, was something I refused to admit. I just wanted time alone with my grandson. As Emmett would say,_ "That was my story, and I was sticking with it."_

"I have secrets to tell you," I informed him in confidence and saw his green eyes twinkle in expectation and camaraderie. In that moment, I knew that Colin and I were going to be as thick as thieves.

~DS~

"Edward! Enough! I want to hold him," Esme scolded, coming over to take Colin from me some time later. She ignored my small growl as she pulled him from my arms. "Go sit with Nessie," she prompted and then quickly moved away to go downstairs where the rest of the family patiently waited.

Well, maybe not everyone had been patient. Rosalie had started up the stairs numerous times in her desire to get to Colin, but she'd found the strength each time to stop and turn back to Emmett. Colin watched me for as long as he could from Esme's arms before she turned the corner into the hall.

Seeing the utter look of desolation on my face, Ness patted the place on the bed beside her, shooing Jacob downstairs with a wave of her hand. They'd already been appropriately "lovey-dovey" while I'd cradled Colin, so he quickly followed Esme. Bella smoothed her hand across my cheek before giving me a quick kiss and following them.

"He's perfect," I chuckled, sliding onto the bed beside my daughter before putting my arm around her shoulders and gently pulling her against me. "You okay?" Her thoughts might be settled, but I wanted to know that she was truly physically and emotionally okay.

"Yeah," she wrinkled her nose at me and then chuckled as we heard the squeals from below. "But, I'm afraid that he'll be so spoiled," she declared, her eyes twinkling with pride.

Knowing that she'd been the epitome of a pampered—not spoiled—child, I couldn't help but smile before saying, "As if that was ever in doubt." I hugged her as the chaos of happy voices rang out below.

She looked at the mementos scattered about the room that Carlisle had converted for her and Jacob and smiled at the happiness they represented. She'd refused for Carlisle to set up the hospital room, and seeing how she'd thrived - so in contrast to Bella - he'd backed down to her wishes. As the cheerful ambiance of the moment soaked in, her body healing with unimaginable speed, she was, of all things, worried about me.

"What did Marcus say?" she asked of the call I'd made to the castle earlier just before she'd bent over in the first contraction.

It was a topic I hadn't previously wanted to discuss, but after the said call, I had a much better resolution than I'd expected. Smiling as broadly as I could, I declared, "My presence in Volterra has been deferred for now."

She laughed at the pleased look on my face. "So you wouldn't be opposed to a second grandchild in about a year?"

Now that I knew how she could handle birth as easily as she had, I would definitely not be opposed. It would be a good enough excuse to forestall what our leader and his bride wanted and provide me many babies to spoil. But Nessie needed to enjoy Colin first, because he would grow up all too fast.

As if_ I_ was the one she had to ask…but it was nice that she asked my thoughts on the subject.

"We'll see," I said softly. "But for now, my lady…" I rose and reached over to lift her gently into my arms "…allow me to take you to your willing subjects. Your son, just like you did your first day of life, has already determined that he has everyone wrapped around his finger. I do believe he is going to need his mother's guidance, because Jake is a complete putz."

In reaction to my snark, she smacked my shoulder as Jacob growled from below. I'd been right though; Colin had Jacob completely wrapped. As we made our way into the living room, I found it humorous to find the beast that I called my friend and son cradling his child's tiny body against his broad chest.

Seth had joined us, and I grinned at my friend. He'd yet to stop phasing, so he still looked a young man. He'd also yet to imprint and, approaching his late twenties, was the subject of much speculation. He could care less, enjoying his life too much to worry. Moving toward me, he held his hand out quickly and unafraid for my hand shake. I only struggled with my instinctual reactions for a moment, not even long enough for anyone else to notice, before I stretched out to take his hand in mine.

"Good to see you, man. I need a good run later, so let's make plans," he laughed, and I caught his relief.

He'd been afraid that the baby would be a girl and that his life would be forever altered upon meeting her.

_One day, _I thought with amusement. _One day._

~DS~

"Eddie…" only Colin was able to get by with that name – one that Emmett had shamelessly encouraged "…tell me about how you and BeBe met?" Colin asked of me, having drained the deer I'd captured for him.

Grinning at the lazy look on his face, I gathered both of the animals we'd drank from, and quickly made my way into the woods to bury them. When I returned, I found him reclining on a rock, the sunlight playing with the perfection of his face.

Leaping up to sit beside him, I relaxed as well, knowing that the family wouldn't expect us back any time soon. My and Colin's lengthy retreats into the woods were famous amongst my family and Volturi, who'd come to visit us already. _Aunt_ Tanya was a favorite of my young grandson, much to my amusement.

"You've heard the tale hundreds of times," I admonished, but was secretly pleased that he was so interested in Bella and me. We were just one puzzle piece of a family of extraordinary people and stories.

"I know," he shrugged his shoulders. Like Nessie, at a month old, he had the look of a three to four year old human…just a little more mature, more elongated and adult like. His mind, also like hers, was astonishingly mature and prolific. "But yours is so much better than any book out there. It puts even Shakespeare to shame." He grinned shyly at my arched eyebrow.

"Don't tell your BeBe that," I warned, knowing that Bella loved nothing more than to cuddle up with Colin and read.

His eyes widened before he shook his head solemnly. "I would never! She might decide we have to read something else, and I love to hear her voice as she mimics their accents. Your story, it's everything combined: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Beauty and the Beast, Dante's Divine Comedy, Don Quixote…" I almost found offense with the last one "…Homer and Machiavelli." He stopped for a moment. "Just all the greats combined."

"I'm not sure we're all that, Colin," I hedged. He'd verbalized only a few of the great masterpieces that'd run through his mind as he made the last statement. It was almost as if he was idolizing Bella and me, which just felt all wrong.

His green eyes twinkled in the sunlight. "Sure…sure." He was quite snarky when he decided to be. When it was directed at his father, I found it amusing, not so much when his wit was focused on me. "I want to know from your perspective though. You stay so quiet about it. I've heard from everyone else, but not you." He widened his eyes imploringly.

How could I refuse such a look and request?

"Hm…" I paused, contemplating where to begin, then knew it had to be from the very first day I'd seen Bella. Reaching over to pull him to me, I relished the feel of his heat blazing against my side. "Funny that you mentioned Dante, because I felt I was in purgatory when I met your Bebe."

He sighed in joy as if I was about to give him the greatest gift and then leaned into me.

"It was that time of day that I wished I were able to sleep…"

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><p><strong>My thanks to Nikki, Paul, and Charles who have made this journey with me.<strong>

**Would love to know your thoughts, and just FYI, I have one more outtake planned. I'm working on a PDF for Downward Spiral and will be willing to offer up after the last outtake, so start thinking now as to whether or not you'd be interested. I'll send along my email on the last posting so that you can contact me if you are!**


	25. Room

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyers created this world in which I like to play. **

**My thanks to those of you who went over and voted for Downward Spiral at the TwiFanFictionRecs site. Downward Spiral came in second out of a list of amazing stories. I am extremely honored.**

**So…this is it, the last of my envisioned outtakes. With a curiously saddened heart, I leave you with (my little version of) Edward's story.**

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><p>The last ray of sun blazed across the city in a valiant attempt to avoid the inevitable, but then, the vibrant light lost the ageless fight and surrendered to the twilight; a warm milieu spread across the town. Set atop a small hill, it appeared almost as if it was a cherished jewel set in a crown. The safest place in Italy, Volterra offered its inhabitants an almost crime free, both natural and supernatural, existence. Very few individuals knew the presence that lived in and around them that guaranteed the former.<p>

The castle occupied a large portion of one of the historic districts. There were rumors as to how long it had existed, but the most common assumption was that it couldn't be as ancient as the stories allowed. Surely the elders within the community had misunderstood their grandparents, great grandparents, and great great grandparents.

But the world was changing, and now written record would exist through the Internet and other technologically advanced methods, so a new day was dawning even for the Volturi. New methods, expanded technology, and global identities - they were all concerns that a business could and would experience and need to adapt to in order to survive and prosper. The business of the immortal world was no different.

It was why I'd been finally summonsed, along with my wife and siblings.

"_Who better to guide us into a new world than those who have spent over one hundred years living in and amongst humans," _Marcus had proposed to the council in a called meeting to which we'd been "invited."

Red and golden eyes alike had turned to dissect and assess us at Marcus' inference.

It wasn't enough that our golden eyes allowed us to mix with humans. The man intended to exploit our every difference – our experience around humans and ability to intermingle, our gifts, and "young and fresh outlook on life compliments of spending so much time around youthful humans in high school and college." It didn't matter that we hadn't been back to high school since meeting Bella in Forks. What was almost twenty years in a vampire's existence, but a blink of an eye for those who ruled in Volterra. Most of them credited their existence in centuries…some even millennia.

Carlisle pulled into the city ahead of us. Esme, Jasper, and Alice rode with him; whereas, Emmett and Rose sat in the back seat of the Mercedes I drove. Bella squeezed my hand, obviously sensing my discomfort. Taking a deep breath, I imagined Jacob, Nessie, Colin, and Moirai to relax. Generally, the thoughts of my grandchildren turned me into a "gooey mess" as Nessie described it, and the effort didn't fail me this time. Although still registering his age in single digits, Colin already appeared a man grown, and Moirai was fully on her way to maturity.

Moirai…her name meant Fate. Warmth wrapped my heart as I envisioned her lovely face. My and Bella's genetics had failed there; she was the epitome of a Quileute beauty - long black hair, mocha skin, and dark expressive eyes. But our vampire nature had made her immortal, just like her mother and brother. I'd always hoped that Colin would be the one to pay Jacob back for some of the angst he'd caused Bella and me, but instead, Moirai had been the answer to my prayers. Full of mischief and highly intelligent, she'd led Jacob a merry chase while Colin and I watched from the sidelines. We were "no help" at providing parameters as Jacob had often accused. Jacob had snarled at us many times over as we rolled in the grass together in laughter.

Yes, Moirai had given him more grief than the poor man had ever thought to cause me, and so all had been righted in the world. Even in love, she'd fulfilled my every hope; though imprinted upon, Jacob had had to fight off dozens of advances from unknowing Quileute youth.

If he would've just accepted help from the one who would have protected her with his life…

Jacob and Seth would've made too much of a front for anyone to bother her. It didn't matter; Jacob still wanted to kill his best friend at times. Even though I'd wanted to be the one to do it, Bella had stolen my thunder and thrown Jacob's words back in his face. "You know…he can't help it."

I still snickered at the memory. I'd wanted payback, and in the world of poetic justice, Seth's imprinting on Jacob's daughter, my granddaughter, was about as good as it could get.

But the fact that our family was prospering didn't relieve the pressure of why we were in Volterra. My time was up. Even though I wouldn't admit it to him, Marcus had been more than patient. He'd given me time to spend with my grandchildren, to watch them grow and prosper. It wasn't just that he'd allowed me the opportunity; he'd come to adore Colin and Moirai, visiting often and adopting them as his own in an uncharacteristic move. He was an unusual and intriguing creature, now that he lived instead of just existed.

_But that still didn't make me like his decision to finally pull in my marker,_ I thought, pulling into the space beside Carlisle. Exiting the car, I wondered at the classic vehicles that filled the spaces in the underground garage beside us. Rosalie whistled in excitement seeing sleek European pieces of art alongside American muscle, and I literally saw her fingers flexing as if she couldn't wait to get her hands on them.

"Master Carlisle, this way," a strong male voice called out, drawing our attention to the Guard member who stood at ready. Emmett snickered at the address, causing our father to glare for a moment.

Still dressed in the unrelenting black, the man was at least outfitted in stylish dress pants and a button down shirt. Marcus had forgone the long Volturi robes in exchange for more "modern apparel." The long flowing garments were only used now when there was a necessity to advance in daylight. And there had only been one event that had necessitated that; a quick but useless attempt by a vampire in Asia to start his own regime. We hadn't even been called for it…other than Alice, and that only by phone. Marcus had used her visions to decide how and when to send forces.

With one last longing look back to the cars, Rosalie forced herself to turn and follow Carlisle and Esme. Emmett threw his big arm over her shoulders, as Alice slipped her hand into the crook of Jasper's. Bella and I, well, we linked our fingers, holding hands. We would seem a group of casual visitors, but as we entered the castle, Jasper, ever the strategist, monitored the mood around us while I sampled the thoughts.

_The brothers…_

_And their wives…_

_They're here…_

_Stregoni Benefici…_

I smiled to hear that Carlisle's nickname was still being used. But the fact that we'd been referred to as "the brothers" irked me. It was too close to associations that had existed with Aro, Marcus, and Caius. Then I saw the reasoning…

Mindreader

Strategist

Relationship expert

That Jasper and I were easy to assess and label, I didn't doubt, but I was in wonder that they'd already determined Emmett's gift. No, he wasn't "gifted" in the typical manner, but his keen ability to assess people, develop relationships, and diffuse difficult situations with his charm and wit was not something to overlook or be discounted. But I growled to see the inference that many were making about us as a whole. Although I would admit that the similarities to the previous triumvirate were astounding, we were not the Volturi and never would be. The subtle glances and thoughts had yet to take in consideration that I could hear them. They would be insulted and most likely horrified when they remembered I didn't need touch like Aro.

But more importantly, our journey through the hallway made me reassess Marcus and his ingenuousness. Perhaps his comments about us leading them into a new world, providing a fresh infusion into the Volturi structure, were right, because I found many of the thoughts surrounding me archaic. Not once did they look to our mates, to Alice, Bella, and Rosalie. Not once had they assessed Esme's worth. In my humble opinion, the Cullen women were the ones they should've been afraid of as the power my wife, mother, and sisters possessed through their gifts and their hold on us was unimaginable. But I reasoned that what the castle inhabitants didn't know would be to our advantage.

However, all of my thoughts on strategy were dispelled when I heard my name.

"Edward!" Tanya called out and glided forward as we entered the throne room.

Love had made her mesmerizing, and I heard more than a few covetous thoughts as she approached us. I wondered if Marcus knew, but put the question aside when she grabbed me. As she kissed my cheeks, Felix, the brute, picked Bella up smacking hers as well. He constantly harassed me with reminders that he was standing in line for the day Bella got tired of me. Normally, I would have decapitated anyone who even inferred such, but the giant and I had become good friends over the years, and I knew his heart. There was some strange piece of me that was glad that I knew I could trust him with her, that he would protect her with his life if it ever became necessary. His teasing was in good nature, knowing that Bella's heart belonged only to me. But he was still searching for his Bella, his hopes, after seeing Marcus find Tanya, that his mate existed somewhere. We switched, and Felix and I did the appropriate man hug/back thumping as Tanya and Bella chatted like magpies. Marcus had captured Carlisle and Esme as Demetri and Heidi took turns with my siblings.

The astounded thoughts of the other vampires, recruited into service at the castle, buzzed all around us. Only Santiago and the others that had stood with us in Forks could remember Marcus being so effusive. That I grunted at the man when he greeted me astonished them all, and I thought some would literally run when he threw back his head and laughed in pleasure at my grumbling.

He had me here. That would have to be enough for now, for surely he didn't think I was going to be happy about it.

"I just received new pictures of my niece and nephew last night from young Renesmee," he murmured, trying to make nice. "When will they be coming to visit me?"

I raised the corner of my lip at him and his puny attempt to coddle me, and he cocked his eyebrow at my effort. But there was no reason to ignore his question about my pride and joy. "At Christmas, but only if you allow her to transform the place. That is her bargain?" I murmured, looking around the throne room.

It looked vastly different from when I'd come begging for destruction, believing Bella had committed suicide. It'd definitely gained warmth under Tanya's direction, but I didn't think that Marcus could truly be prepared for what Nessie became at Christmas.

"Hm…" he murmured back, stroking his fingers down his chin as he looked around. "A little festivity wouldn't be amiss."

"_A little?" _I wanted to say thinking to Alice's and Nessie's efforts, but decided not to forewarn him. He'd used his manipulations to get our family here, so I decided to allow him to face the force that was my sister and daughter at Christmas time unaware.

Tanya shook her head at my mischievous smile, having obviously figured my thoughts out. I glared at her, letting her know I thought her a traitor is she warned him, but she chuckled at my look. That I dared to glare at the King and Queen seemed to make many in the room nervous, even though they'd heard of my family from the legends. But our reunion had gone on for a time, and I saw Marcus directing several of the guard members to carry our luggage to our assigned quarters.

The majority of what we needed had been shipped in the weeks prior, and I knew that the boxes awaited us in our rooms. We'd made a stop in Ireland before traveling on to Italy, so we only had a few suitcases to manage. I wanted, in that moment, to go back; Siobahn's easy Irish charm had been exactly what I needed before traveling to my new home. Ignoring the soft growl coming from me at the thought, Bella tugged on my fingers, directing me to follow her.

However not before Marcus whispered to me, "They're waiting for you."

And so they were – Dracula 1 and Dracula 2.

"You've kept us waiting…" Stefan murmured.

"…a very long time," Vladimir completed, rising from the sofa in the small sitting area that adjoined our bedroom.

We'd been placed in the same wing of the castle as Marcus and Tanya, just on a different floor. The appointments were luxurious, the cozy chamber magnificent, and it was hauntingly familiar with cherished pieces elegantly arranged throughout. It reeked of Esme's influence and her attempts to make our transition as painless as possible. Through their thoughts, I caught glimpses of my siblings' rooms beside us, rooms that also reflected the same attention.

"Pfft…" I answered the Romanians accusation, coming back to the moment after absorbing the ambiance of the rooms. "It is nothing compared to what you've waited before."

Vladimir grinned in his eerie manner before gliding forward to take Bella's hand in his. He bowed elegantly over their combined hands before kissing her knuckles. "My dear, you are possibly even lovelier than the last time I saw you."

She grinned at him, placing her other hand on top of his and squeezing gently. Stefan stepped to her side and kissed her cheek. At least his show of affection was more mannerly than Felix's had been.

"You're leaving," she accused, determining their plans in some way. I'd known from Marcus' thoughts, but hadn't mentioned it yet.

"Yes." Their voices combined to make the word sound almost like a hiss.

"But not just this moment, we'll stay until you are settled," Vladimir said softly, finally releasing her hand.

Settled?

_Would I ever be 'settled' in Volterra? _I wondered.

Many scholars spoke about the concept of time, devising quotes about the immensity of it, the human propensity to squander it, and the benefits of managing the minutes, hours, and days given. For immortals, time held a different meaning. We saw the passage in events versus the ticking of a hand across the face of a clock.

Nessie and Alice turned Marcus on his ear, transforming the Volterra Castle into a masterpiece of yuletide joy at Christmas and surprising him with a leather jacket for a gift. Marcus' expression had been priceless at the gaudy socks that Colin and Moirai presented as a gag, but Tanya made good use of the mistletoe they'd given her…the two disappearing into the night.

The New Year had us intermingling with many vampires we'd never met, and even acquiring a few that I would consider more friend than acquaintance. The process was awkward at first, as most traditional vampires didn't know what to make of our family, but curiosity finally won over for some of them. Carlisle urged us to be patient; we were different from Aro and Caius, and it would take some time for those in Volterra to accept that.

Alice strong armed Marcus into revealing the Volturi finances and swiftly divested him of the portfolio. They'd been smart in the investments they'd made, but not brilliant. We diversified them, hiding the money better to make them less of a target for a savvy financial investigator. Building layers upon layers of subterfuge with Jenks' help, the money was all but untraceable. The castle "fell" out of its long term owner's hands and under the auspices of a corporation…one that would survive for many years under its various immortal CEOs. Public image of the corporation was another thing altogether. There was so much work to do, but what was forever for?

In the weeks and months that followed, we were indoctrinated into the life of duty and responsibility. I found it not so different than what I'd imagined as a young man, when I considered the duty and responsibility of a soldier. Perhaps I'd wanted to be a hero then; my thoughts about the first World War had been that certainly truth and righteousness would prevail. But as an immortal, frozen young man faced with the day to day maneuverings of a regime, I saw the shades of grey that were more often the determiners of success or failure. As I'd pondered about Carlisle and those very same shades of grey the day I came upon him burying the ashes of Aro's and Cauis' army, I realized that it was the foundation of the man or woman that influence the road traveled.

Delegated to a place in the throne room that denoted our status, we watched and learned. When our talents became apparent to the whole, we were whispered about and feared. It was abundantly clear from Marcus' actions that we were being groomed for positions on the council. With Carlisle as our father and mentor and Marcus as our leader and the one that sponsored us, very few voiced dissension.

When Colin had questioned me about my and Bella's love story, I'd told him how she'd fulfilled my life and how nothing would ever change that. And had my story ended there, had our story faded as the words in a book, _"and they lived happily ever after," _I would've been perfectly ecstatic to live out my life with the woman I loved and with my family.

But I was never asked what I wanted. For certainly it would've been to disappear into the sunset with Bella.

So, I made the best of what we'd been given.

Marcus, alongside Carlisle, became my sage, even if I wanted to bite his head off at times. I shared a bond with him that was difficult to define. We'd both been shells of ourselves for a period of time, believing that the women that completed us had been lost forever. He had millennia of suffering on me, but the experience of the loss was horrific for both of us, and it was an experience that few understood. Others that had faced the loss of a mate had sought destruction only after acquiring revenge.

The only other two that could've understood disappeared into the night, but not before they'd served as my grueling taskmasters. Millennia of experience and warfare were their gifts to me. Unmerciful in their approach to "train me," the Romanians dumped memory after memory into my mind even when I threatened to tear them to pieces. In fact, my controlled aggression thrilled them.

"_So like us, Stefan,"_ Vladimir had murmured when I caged him against a wall.

"_Such control…"_ Stefan had responded as I'd stalked off, snarling at the both of them.

I wondered often about Vladimir and Stefan. Alice couldn't see them, and I pondered if they'd somehow discovered a way to be destroyed. Perhaps they'd found a werewolf, or another vampire willing to do the duty. But they hadn't asked me to end them, knowing just how I would respond. Marcus and I had been given miracles, and I was certain they didn't want to hear my beliefs in it all. I'd begged for them to give fate a chance to rectify the wrongs done to them, but their only response had been to smile sadly. However for the time they'd stayed, I developed what I considered a friendship with the two, and the thought that perhaps they no longer existed in this world inexplicably saddened me. Wisdom and fondness came in odd packages. My hope was that we'd discover some new human novel filled with exaggerated stories of a Transylvanian Dracula. It would've fit their irreverent brand of humor to propagate such tales.

My family…well we did what we'd always done. Carlisle was my father, Esme my mother, and my siblings the ones that drove me crazy at times. We fought, played, teased, grumbled, and tolerated the two mutts that'd joined us. I wouldn't have been able to withstand the placement in Volterra if there hadn't been provisions for frequent visits from the Black family and a Clearwater tag-along. Trips to Forks and Florida were "mandatory and non-negotiable" I'd quickly informed Marcus with a snarl when he'd "negotiated" my presence.

The months passed and a sense of contentment crept up on me. But it wasn't until I caught a reflection of myself in a still lake in Casentinesi Forest where Bella and I had traveled to feed that I realized it.

Clear and untroubled golden eyes reflected back at me as I leaned down to pick a particularly vibrant purple flower for Bella. My visage startled me, and I realized that I hadn't really paid attention to my reflection much. Smirking, I realized the reason why was because my wife generally ran her fingers through my hair in a futile attempt to train the mess and dressing was done without thought. So the man staring back at me from the still water seemed almost surreal. Leaning over farther, I stared calmly back.

"Edward?" Bella called out to my side, and I pulled my gaze away to smile at her, before turning back. "Everything okay?" she inquired softly, squatting down beside me.

The man in the water was joined by an extraordinary beauty. And I saw her smile slowly grow as she saw us in the almost mirror like quality of the water. I wouldn't call what I saw peace, because that would allude to the fact that everything was perfect, and there was no such thing as perfect, even in my almost perfect world.

"Yes, I was just a little taken back," I answered, shrugging my shoulder toward the reflection.

"He's a handsome fellow," she teased.

Smirking at her comment, I shook my head slightly. She grasped my hand and threw her shield away, treating me to an uninhibited view of her thoughts. Flashes of me flew through her mind. Not just the tortured ones from when they'd rescued me and from when I'd faced Beth's family, but also from when we'd first met and I'd struggled with what I was and what I was going to make her. Then, memories from the last years overwhelmed it all, my happiness with Colin and Moirai, my friendship with Jacob and Seth, my unusual relationship with Dracula 1 and 2, and my bond with even Charlie. The quiet satisfaction I'd gained from the training and responsibilities Carlisle and Marcus threw my way flew through her mind. This new man I saw reflected back at me had been a work in progress, bits of him reflected in the memories Bella shared, remembrances heavily infused with her love and support.

I hadn't had to say anything; she'd just understood what I was thinking as I looked at this new Edward. It was the magic of our bond.

Bella rose, disengaging from my hand and running her fingers across my cheek as she did. Her touch stirred embers that were constantly banked, and suddenly, the reflective man in the water lost my interest for a much more appealing subject. At my rumblings of acknowledgement and interest, she giggled and ran into the trees, allowing her instantly discarded red silk shirt to flutter to the ground in challenge.

No…not everything was perfect, but I'd definitely found contentment, I thought as I rose, already sniffing her arousal in the air and moving to begin the chase.

For in this new world that had been built from the ashes of that which I'd destroyed, there was room for everything…

The boy who'd once dreamed to fight upon the lands of war for what he believed in…

The teenage boy who'd struggled valiantly to defend what he'd thought was right before surrendering…

The young man that'd rose from hell…

The father and grandfather intent on protecting those he loved…

The son and brother who knew his responsibilities…

The man who finally bowed down to accept mercy and providence…

The man who'd taken responsibility for repaying a life-altering kindness…

And as I growled lowly, letting loose a little of the control and began to stalk my mate - the woman that completed me and made my life worth living - I realized as I lunged into the forest intent on my prey…

A place for my monster as well.

~DS~

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><p><strong>I would sincerely love to hear your thoughts, even if you're a lurker and have never left a review. For those of you interested, I've developed a PDF of this story that I would love to send your way. It contains the banners made for the story, as well as acknowledgements to all those that have been involved. Email me at content1akaapril at G mail dot com, and I would be happy to send it to you. I can't attach to a PM, so please email me and I'll send along.<strong>

**Thanks for following along on this journey with me. It is a bittersweet thing to realize that I only have one more Fan Fiction story to finish.**

**To: Charles, Paul, and Nikki - it has been an incredible trip to take with you. Thanks again for all your help!**


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